The Fixer formerly untitled
by FallenIcarus
Summary: Carter is injured during an operation due to a mistake by Ty. Will include further examination of Carters past. Also bits of Dean and Jamie and Ty and Melissa relationship. Sorry this summary sucks.Thanks to Pearl Jam I gots a title. :
1. Chapter 1

Melissa was awake late working on some final paperwork before work the next morning. The bedside lamp was on. In truth she found it difficult to sleep knowing that Ty was in danger somewhere in the city. It was difficult to be married to a man that was constantly in danger. She prayed for him every night. She hoped he would keep his word, that the minute a promotion was available he would try for it, leave the "prince of darkness". He did not fully understand all the stress he put her through because of his job, and she didn't understand why he thought he needed to do the job. There were so many other things he could do. It was one of the things that put stress on their new marriage. It did not help that Carter called him back early right after they got married. She tried to understand, but it was hard. She was taken from her paper work by the rining of the phone. It was in these moments that she felt her heart give way. Always sure it was a call telling her that Ty would not be coming home ever again.

"Hello?" S he asked, she sounded anxious.

"Hey babe."

"Ty where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital."

"What happened?" She asked her voice raising with the fear she felt.

"I'm fine babe. I…" He paused, "It's Carter."

"Honey come home."

"I can't babe. He's in surgery. He saved me." Ty said looking down at the floor, his blue jeans covered in Carters blood. He tried to shake the images running through his mind away.

"Ty please just come home." Melissa tried one more time.

"Babe I can't leave him." Ty said feeling guilty it was his fault that Carter was in this position. "I just wanted to let you know the job is done and I'm safe."

"What hospital are you at?" She asked, if he wouldn't come home she'd go to him. She had to see him for herself to make sure he was ok.

Ty gave her the name of the hospital. He knew she would come, he couldn't stop her even if he wanted to. "can you bring some clean clothes for me?" he asked suddenly feeling the weight of the past few days, exhaustion overtook him.

"Sure babe. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Dean sat in the waiting room with Jamie both of them leaning back in the uncomfortable chairs. It had been awhile since either of them had down time.

"Do you think he's going to make it?" Jamie asked Dean.

"he's a strong bastard." Dean answered, the best answer he had. The both were trained liars, and both knew how to tell when someone was lying to him, so he decided to avoid lying to her.

Jamie was quiet for a bit longer, but she felt like she had to fill the silence, "What happened with his wife?"

Dean was not a gossip far from it, "I haven't a clue." He answered, it was the truth no one knew exactly what happened between Carter and his wife. Few people knew he had actually been married.

"I guess Ty was right."

"What did Ty say?" Dean asked he decided to give into the mindless discussion if anything to keep himself awake.

"That there was nothing Carter wouldn't do to protect us, and there was nothing that Carter wouldn't do to get his man."

"But there was more." Dean said, finishing with, "Ty would not say something that nice about Carter."

"He said that sometimes it wasn't clear which came first."

Dean shook his head, Ty never truly understood Carter. It was not a bad thing because most people didn't understand Carter. But Dean knew for a fact that Carter would do whatever he could to protect his men. It bothered Carter for a long time when one of his people got hurt. It haunted him.

The subject changed when they saw Ty enter the room.

"Any word?" Ty asked.

"nope." Dean answered looking over at Jamie who was struggling to stay awake. "I'm going to go get some coffee want some?" he asked Ty.

"Sure thanks man." Ty answered taking a seat across from Dean and Jamie.

Jamie sat up, "I'll come with you."

Dean and Jamie both walked through the hospital towards the cafeteria.

"Are we going to talk about what happened?" Jamie asked looking at Dean. S he hated that she felt like the girl right now. She hated feeling like one of those girls. But ever since she and Dean hooked up, and then she went back to her former boyfriend Scott, Dean had been acting strange.

"Sure what do I need to explain to you. Carter was shot trying to protect Ty."

"Not that." Jamie said rolling her eyes. "About us."

"there is no us. We hooked up. It was good. At least it was good for me. And I'm sure it was good for you." He smiled at her, "I've never disappointed before." He continued, "And then you went back to your ex. The end. We said it was nothing just sex right?"

"Right." S he answered, "But you've been acting strange."

Dean shook his head, "This is why I should never hook up with women I work with. No it's not strange. I'm not acting strange. You think I am because your ego is hurt because it really just was sex. Do you expect every guy that fucks you is going to fall in love with you. You weren't that great honey."

Jamie glared at Dean, "I don't remember any complaints."

"it was sex that's all." Dean said paying the lady for the coffees. "nothing more. Get over it."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer (forgot it) Don't own the characters.

Thanks for the reviews. Here is the next bit let me know what you think. And hopefully this time my breaks will actually be in the story.

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Ty felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, grabbing it out he saw it was Melissa. "hello."

"Where are you? I'm at the hospital." Melissa asked the worry still clear in her voice.

"Emergency waiting room."

A few minutes later Melissa walked into the waiting room automatically seeing her husband covered in blood. "Baby." She said rushing up to him.

"I'm fine. It's not my blood." He said softly. He wrapped his arms around her. He needed to feel another human. He wanted to feel her and know that everything was going to be ok even if it wasn't. He whispered into her ear, "I love you. I missed you so much."

Pulling out of the embrace she kissed him, "I love you and I missed you too." She pulled away from him, "Let's get you out of those clothes." She couldn't but help notice all of the blood.

"I want to wait for Dean and Jamie to get back so that someone is here." He said looking around the two should have been back by now. He really hoped that they did not sneak off somewhere to have sex. He would not put it past the two. The tension between them had been thick ever since Jamie started working with the team.

Jamie was the first to come back. Dean stopped along the way to use the restroom. She handed Ty his coffee looking at the woman next to him. She deduced that it must be his wife. It was strange for all of them to be together outside of the shop. Not safe for all of their active covers, and it actually was a rule, one of the rules that Carter had put into place.

"I'm going to go get changed." Ty said setting his coffee down. "Melissa this is Jamie. Jamie this is my wife Melissa." Ty introduced the two before leaving.

"So you work with Ty?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah I'm new to the team." Jamie answered looking at Melissa. S he didn't seem like the type of woman who would marry a cop. More of the type of woman who's father would kill the cop before he got near his daughter.

The tension was quickly abated by Dean entering the waiting room. "Melissa." Dean smiled at her. The last time he saw her she had just married Ty. "How have you been?"

"Good." She answered. It was an uncomfortable situation. The two people before her were strangers. They were her husband's co-workers and that is al she really knew about them. They rarely saw each other. Ty never talked about his co-workers other than Carter. The lives they led did not allow for backyard barbeques with co-workers.

The awkwardness was quickly fixed by the appearance of Captain Maynard. "What happened?" He asked looking at Jamie and Dean.

"Carter was shot by one of the suspects." Dean answered not offering more information. He was not sure exactly how Carter and Ty's covers were blown, he had an idea, but he was not willing to put it forth yet.

Jamie just looked clueless, she was good at doing that when she needed to be.

"Have you heard from the doctors yet?"

"no." Ty answered walking back into the room in his clean clothes.

"How bad was it?" Captain Maynard asked looking at Ty.

"Not good." Ty answered.

"You all go back to the safe house do the paper work. I want reports on my desk before morning. Then go home." Captain Maynard order looking at Jamie and Dean.

Dean was getting ready to protest when the Captain continued, "I'll update both of you as soon as we know something."

Ty shook his head, "I'm not leaving. The reason Carter is in the operating room is because of me. I'm not leaving."

Dean stated, "If he's not leaving then I'm not leaving."

"I cannot have you all here. You know Carter would say the same. If someone happens to see you all together covers will be blown."

"We can make new ones then." Dean said knowing it was not good enough. Just being exposed would be enough to put an end to all of their undercover careers.

"This is not a request it's an order." Captain Maynard stated.

"Come on Dean. Let's go." Jamie said grabbing his arm and pulling her with him.

"Ty." The Captain said looking at him.

"I'm not leaving." Ty said sitting down next to Melissa. "My cover is already blown for the current case. And I do not have any other active covers right now." Ty looked at the Captain almost pleading for him to just give in.

"Fine. But as soon as we get some news you are going to give me a full report on what happened tonight." The Captain said walking away to pace in the hallway. He already tried to get the lady at the reception desk to get a report for them. She only stated that he would know as soon as anyone else knew. The doctors were still working.

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What seemed like hours passed since Dean and Jamie had left. The Captain had finally taken a seat and was resting his head against the wall when he heard footsteps and then someone call out "Carter Shaw's family?"

The Captain and Ty both stood up walking towards the doctor in blue scrubs. Melissa was on Ty's side her arm around him. Her best attempt to comfort him.

"How is he?"

"Are you family?" The doctor asked highly doubting either man was related to the man he has just spent hours operating on.

"The closest thing he has. I am Carters commanding officer." Captain Maynard said pulling out his badge.

The doctor continued, "He lost a lot of blood. He went into cardiac arrest while on the table. We were able to get his heart started again." The doctor could see the shock and fear he was use to seeing in family members eyes when he told them of their loved one. The doubt, was this the speech that told them their loved one would not be back, "He was shot twice. One bullet to the right shoulder. It was more of a graze but it took chunk of flesh and muscle with it. The other bullet was the issue. It entered in his lower left abdomen. It lodged itself into a rib. He was lucky that it was not one of his already broken ribs. It appeared that they were healing when they were broken again, the ribs. Unfortunately, the bullet did clip his lung. It collapsed probably even before the paramedics arrived. Luckily, there was a trained surgeon riding with the paramedics that night and he was able to insert a chest tube while in transport. That probably saved your friends life. Right now we are filling him with antibiotics and pain killers. We are going to watch him closely tonight. If no other complications arise then he has a good chance at recovery. "

"Can we see him?" The Captain asked.

"he is in recovery right now. He will be moved to ICU once he is stable enough. " The doctor paused, he knew cops typically would not leave unless they got to see their man, "He still has a breathing tube breathing for him. We want his injured lung to have a break for awhile. It's not a pretty sight."

"Please I just let us see him."

"Only a few minutes. It's against protocol."

"Thank you doctor." Captain said.

"Once he is moved into ICU one person can stay." The doctor said not knowing if anyone would stay with the patient.

They all walked to the recovery room that Carter was located in. The lower portion of his body was covered by a sterile white sheet. The upper portion, abdomen on up was uncovered on the bed. It was difficult for Captain Maynard to see his friend on the bed, bandages and wires covering him. There was two chest tubes sticking out of him, a tube running through his mouth. It was a hard sight to see, almost as bad as when he saw Carter at Carter's wife's funeral.

Carter looked too pale against the stark white sheets of the hospital bed. It was a weird sight to take in for Ty. He was so use to seeing Carter alive and moving. Constantly arguing with him over whatever was going on in the latest case. Carter was larger than life, the prince of darkness, and now he looked fragile.

Ty closed his eyes trying to will it all away. He screwed up, and he knew this was on him. He had gone to lunch with his wife while undercover. It was a rookie mistake that could cost Carter his life. Carter had taken the bullets for him. Ty was the one who's cover had been blown. The people just assumed Carter was too stupid to know any better.

"Ok folks you have to leave now. He'll probably be in a room in the ICU in a few hours." The doctor said waiting for the visitors to leave.

The all filed out of the room. The Captain grabbed Ty's arm, "What happened?" There was no judgment nor anger in his voice, concern.

"I'll file a report by morning." Ty said.

"Give me the reader's digest version. I'm the one who's going to have to explain this."

Ty looked to Melissa, "babe do you think you could go get something to eat for me."

"Sure." Melissa knew that Ty wanted to be on his own with the Captain. He always tried to shield her from the dangers of his job. That included the reality of how bad things were in the world.

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Dean was driving the car that Jamie and he had rode to the hospital in.

"It really just was sex for you?" Jamie asked, hurt by the fact that what they had done meant nothing to Dean. From his earlier statements she knew she was right in going back to Scott. He was a good guy. When they made love it meant something to him. But the downside of being with Scott is that he knew nothing of what she did before she became Jamie Allen. He could never know because he would never understand. His family never would understand. They would probably not accept her as she is now as Jamie Allen. There was also Scott's dreams of running for office one day. If she was Mrs. Scott, it was likely her past would come to light.

"Yeah." Dean answered keeping his eyes on the road. He didn't know why she kept pushing the point. She was the one who ended it by going back to Scott. It wasn't like he told her to get lost. She had told him. It was for the better, he thought, because Carter would have a fit if he knew about the two hooking up. There was also the job. Not having connections made the job a lot easier. Carter had taught him that much. Connections made you weak, made you make mistakes, like Ty did. And mistakes always led to someone getting hurt. Tonight was a great example of what connections could do.

"Fine whatever." Jamie said turning to look out her window avoiding looking a Dean.

"Hey sweetheart." Dean said in a sarcastic voice, "You have no right to be pissed at me. You ended it not me."

"It would never have worked out. Carter would have ditched one of us. And it would have been me. He respects you. " She said, "we learned that much already. One word from you and I was shut out of the operation."

"No you were shut out of the operation because you are still learning." Dean tried to control the anger bubbling under the surface, "You still have a lot to learn little girl. Carter is not going to send you in unless he is sure you can handle and sure that he can trust you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means there is a thin line between going under and stepping over, and he isn't sure which side you will fall on."

"If he felt that way he never would have brought me in. I know which side I want to be on."

"That's all fine an daddy saying it in the car, but what about when you are under and there is a lot of money to be made? What then?"

"I'm not doing this to get away from my mommy and daddy. I didn't join to impress my parents." Jamie said hinting at her knowledge of Dean's family and their disapproval of what he does. "I'm doing this because I need to do this."

"And why is that?" Dean said not taking the bait.

"Because I want to make a few things right."

"There we are back to the cryptic statement about your past. What are you making right?"

"Nothing." She said trying to ignore Dean's piercing stare. They rode the rest of the way to the safe house in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer Don't own the characters.

Also the rating probably will increase soon.

Thanks for the reviews. Should have one more update today possibly more depending on if the rain stops here.

Forgot if you have any ideas for a title let me know because i'm clueless.

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"We were set to make the deal." Ty started now sitting in a quiet corner of the hospital. "The targets trusted us and were ready to take our money when they got a phone call. They were speaking German I think, I couldn't understand them. But it didn't look good. I just thought maybe it had something to do with something else because the guy smiled at us midway through the conversation."

Ty paused, he was not sure if the truth was the best option, but it was all he had so he continued, "The guy came back and started asking us about where we had been after we left the meeting earlier that morning." Ty paused taking a drink of his coffee is just to put off the next portion for a bit longer.

"I lied. Told them I was with Carter arranging for the money."

The Captain already knew it was a lie, he had spent the afternoon on the phone with Carter, both of them arranging for the money. Carter was worried about coming in since he was sure the guys followed him back to the hotel. He needed Maynard to get the money to him some other way.

"Where were you instead?" The Captain asked.

"I had lunch with Melissa. I didn't think anyone would follow me."

Maynard shook his head, Ty was a loose cannon. He knew that much from the pervious bust that went wrong because of Ty's inability to stay away from his wife. It was after that bust that Maynard himself had recommended that Ty be removed from the team.

"They must have followed me. I checked to make sure I wasn't followed, but somehow they knew I was not at the hotel with Carter."

Maynard didn't understand how contributed to their cover being blown. He wanted to ask, but at the same time he could see the other man was having difficulty explaining.

"They got the credit card slip from the waiter." Ty said, "I paid for lunch. My real name was on the slip."

Captain Maynard took a deep breath trying to keep from screaming at the other man. It was a stupid rookie mistake that might have cost Carter his life.

"It took them awhile to crack the LAPD database. But the phone call must have been to tell them they found my file." Ty pause again taking another sip of the putrid coffee, "They pulled a gun and had it aimed at me. They asked Carter if he knew I was a cop."

"What did Carter do then?"

"He was trying to diffuse the situation. But by that point there was nothing he could do. It happened fast. I remember Carter moving in front of me, pulling his gun at the same time both of us pulled our guns and opened fire about the same time as they did." Ty closed his eyes picturing the event as he continued to describe what had occurred, "Carter fell back against me, but he kept firing even as we both were falling. I tried but I couldn't see anything. When we hit the ground he stayed on top of me, I think this was around the time that Jamie and Dean came it. Carter and I both got up and got help get the situation under control. By this point most of their guys were dead. It wasn't until the final guy had given up that I noticed blood. Carter looked down at himself and we all could see the blood coming from his shoulder, his coat covered the bullet wound he took in the abdomen. He feel to the ground, sort of collapsed like the life had been taken out of him. His back was against the cheap bar they had in the place. And he sat there his hand over the wound. I rushed over to him calling out to Dean to call an ambulance. "

Ty would never get the look in Carter's eyes out of his mind. He was almost happy it seemed. He had to know he was close to death and he was the happiest Ty had seen him. It was then that Ty realized that Carter really had nothing left to live for, and that his dying would have been a blessing to him. It bothered Ty to see a friend a colleague happy to die. All the shit he had put Carter through all the arguments he had with Carter he never knew. All the time they worked together. Carter took a bullet for him and just the week before Ty had been giving him shit over the fact that Carter was more than happy to sit back and assume no risk while everyone else did.

"You are officially on suspension pending further investigation. You know you'll be lucky if Carter lets you back on the team."

"Yeah." Ty said putting his face in his hands, "I didn't think."

Captain Maynard took the kids gloves off, "Yeah you didn't and your stupid mistake could cost Carter, my friend, his life."

"I know I'm sorry." Ty said looking up into the Captain's eyes.

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Dean was typing up the report when his cell phone rang. Picking it up he immediately answered, "Bendis."

"I have an update on Carter." Ty said trying to hide the exhaustion in his voice.

"Hold on let me put you on speaker." Dean said turning his phone on speaker motioning for Jamie.

"Carter should be fine assuming there are no other complications. He's in recovery right now and they are going to move him to ICU within the hour."

"What was the damage?" Dean asked.

"Bullet grazed his shoulder taking some muscle with it. The one in the abdomen was the worse. He flat lined but they brought him back. His lung was nicked and it caused it to collapse, and lodge itself in one of his ribs. But the doctor seemed confident that he would recover." Ty paused then asked, "Do you all remember if Carter broke any ribs recently?"

Dean frowned, "Probably when he was undercover as the victim in the last operation. I think the guys roughed him up a bit."

"Really. I don't remember him being hurt other then the bloody nose." T y said trying to figure out how Carter had broken his ribs.

Dean did not hold back, "That was because you were too busy assuming he was trying to one up the FBI. But he was defiantly hurt. He was taking a lot more of his pills that evening." Dean failed to mention how he had walked into the shop finding Carter passed out on the couch a bottle of alcohol almost empty and pills spilled on the table. After making sure Carter was breathing he left him to sleep it off. It was later when Carter woke up that Dean noticed him grab his side in pain as he sat up. When Dean inquired what happened, Carter told him nothing and to go home.

"When can he have visitors?" Jamie asked.

"Probably tomorrow. One person can be with him at a time."

"Should someone stay with him tonight?" Jamie asked, suddenly feeling like the girl when Dean looked at her like she had grew a third head.

"No he'll probably be asleep throughout the night the doc said."

"ok." Jamie answered feeling foolish for asking.

"You coming in to do your report?" Dean asked Ty.

"No I'm going to work on it at home. I just want to go home and shower."

"ok man." Dean hung the phone up.

"Do you really think Carter is going to be ok?" Jamie asked knowing that Carters wounds were far from as minor as they all made them seem.

"Yeah he's a stubborn bastard. Too stubborn to die." Dean said getting up to pick up his typed report from the printer.

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Ty looked up to see his wife walking up to him with a to-go container. "This looked the most edible." She said handing him the carton.

"You aren't coming home tonight are you?" She asked seeing the look in his eyes.

"I'm responsible babe." He said looking down at his feet. "He wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me. Someone should be with him."

"And that someone has to be with you?"

"It's my fault so yeah it needs to be me." Ty said his voice strong, he could not explain to her why it meant so much for him to be there. "I'm sorry babe."

"don't be it's just another time the prince of darkness takes you away from me."

"I'll be home tomorrow. I am off for awhile. We'll be able to spend some more time together. " Ty said trying to appease her. He didn't want to tell her chance were that he would be completely off the time without the benefits of his work. This one mistake could be the end of his hopes and dreams.

"Ok." She said giving in. She kissed him deeply happy that he was alive and with her still. "I'll bring some more clothes by tomorrow and check on Carter too."

"Thank you." Ty said kissing her back. God he missed her so much when he was gone. He loved her, despite how difficult it was at times especially when he came back forma job. She would never truly understand how hard it was to do his job, and how she made it so much more difficult to leave each time.

"Try to sleep some Ty. You look exhausted." She got up hugging him then leaving. She was upset, but she did not try to show it. Carter would always control Ty as long as he let him. Sometimes it felt like there was no room left for her and then there was the issue of when Ty came back from being undercover. It took days, sometimes weeks before he was back to the Ty she knew. It left her wondering if their marriage was another cover for him. If he was just acting to have something normal in his life.

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	4. Chapter 4

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks to the two individuals who pointed out my mistake. I am going to go back and change the boyfriends name, which is Scott. Hope you all continue to enjoy and as always thanks for the reviews.

And I apologize for any grammar ect errors this all just stream of consciousness. I sit down I write and I don't look back. Unless something is underlined in red.

Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.

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Stretched out in a chair his head resting against the wall, feet propped up against a rail of Carters bed, Ty was asleep. Drool running down the side of his face he was in a dreamless sleep, better then the nightmare he had earlier that morning. A noise filtered into his consciousness, it sounded like someone choking, then an alarm went off. Was that his alarm clock? Was he home in bed? He thought as he brought himself back to consciousness. Nope. He remembered instantly where he was flying out of his chair he rushed over to Carters bedside. Looking down on his boss, his eyes open struggling to breath, scared. Ty could see fear in the blue eyes looking back up him.

"Nurse!" Ty screaming into the hallway trying to find the call button.

A doctor and nurse were already on their way into the room.

The doctor quickly moved Ty out of the way looking over Carter who lay in the bed struggling still. "Mr. Shaw. I need you to calm down. You are in the hospital you are fine. Calm down please."

Carter struggled to filter the words through his brain. Everything was cloudy and heavy. It felt like the doctor was talking in slow motion distorted. His words took forever to become audible. Carter tried to calm down closing his eyes struggling to breath.

"Mr. Shaw. You have a breathing tube in. That is why you are having issues breathing. If you could just calm down and relax." The doctor noticed the patient trying but it wasn't good enough, his oxygen stats were too low. He was fighting too much, not enough oxygen reaching his lungs. "Nurse I push IV diazepam."

The nurse rushed over to the cart pulling out a needle filled with a substance that was a light yellow color. She pushed it into the IV that ran into Carters hand. She pushed the plunger down and watched the patient.

Carter continued to struggle he couldn't clam down when he couldn't breathe. However, he quickly felt a wave wash over him. He felt his body relaxing despite the fear he felt. Something was making him calm down and making him feel tired again.

Finally relaxed the doctor was better able explain to Ty what had happen. Ty stood back eyes open with fear, "what just happen?"

"He's fine." The doctor said looking down at Carter who was still awake, but barely. "Mr. Shaw I want to see how you breath without this tube. Can you cough for me as I pull it out?"

Carter shook his head blinking back the tears that were in his eyes. He was not sure when they formed. But he did as he was told. He felt the uncomfortable object being pulled from his throat and he coughed, fucked it hurt to cough, but he did it anyways. Once the tube was out he gasped for oxygen, and more pain washed over him. Closing his eyes a tear rain down the side of his face, it hurt to cough to breath what didn't hurt.

The nurse quickly put a nasal cannula on Carter to feed him more oxygen. The doctor was busy watching the stats on the monitor to make sure that Carters oxygen level remained high enough. Happy with what he saw the doctor smiled. "Good. Mr. Shaw do you know where you are?"

Carter looked up at the doctor, "the hospital." The idiot had just told him that. Why was he in the hospital, and why did everything hurt. Carters voice was weak and hoarse. His throat painfully dry. He wanted something to drink. But he didn't want to speak that much because it hurt.

"Good do you remember what happened?"

"no."

"You were shot twice, and you also have a few broken ribs. "

Carter looked over at Ty confused.

"It's ok Mr. Shaw. Your body has been through a lot of trauma. You lost a lot of blood and you are also on a few drugs that probably are making things a bit fogy, It might take awhile for you to remember what happened. But you didn't have any head trauma so its very likely you will remember everything soon enough."

"Water..can I get some water?" Carter asked his voice cracking.

"We can probably get you some ice chips." The doctor said looking at the nurse.

"There were a few complications during your surgery." The doctor continued to explain to Carter about his condition, "You went into cardiac arrest while the surgeon was trying to patch your lung. It only took a minute to bring you back. We do not expect any complications to arise from that. However, you do have damage to your left lung and three ribs on that side are broken. Two of the higher ones, and the lower one is broken due to the bullet lodging into it. Your shoulder is fine. We expect a full recovery with some minor PT to help gain the muscle back you lost due to the bullet. You were lucky." The doctor paused to let Carter take all of the information in. He was not sure how much his patient understood, but he would explain again later if needed.

The nurse returned with the ice chips helping Carter with them. "Thank you." He said once he got enough water into his mouth to help with his sore dry throat. Swallowing again he looked up, his exhaustion clear but he needed to know more, "Everyone else is ok?"

Ty stepped in, "Yeah Jamie and Dean went home. The Captain was already here."

"Good." Carter said closing his eyes and going back to sleep.

"It's normal." The doctor said before Ty could ask. "he's been through a lot his body needs rest to recuperate. You should go home. Let him rest. We can keep an eye on him."

Ty fought the urge to stay, but he needed real sleep. He wanted to see his wife and tell her how much he loved her and how lucky he was to have her. Situations like this always reminded him how much he had and how much he could lose. "Ok. Call me please if anything happens. Or when he wakes again."

"Sure leave your number at the nurses' station." The doctor said checking over Carter taking note of his vitals. "Nurse can you help me with the bandages."

"Yes doctor."

Ty took one last glance at Carter before he walked out of the hospital room. He called Melissa first to let her know he was coming home. His next call was to the Captain informing him that Carter had woken up. Maynard wanted to know more and Ty tried to answer every question he had. Jamie and Dean could wait till later. Ty was exhausted, exhausted enough he was worried about falling asleep on his way home. Finding the care Carter and he had used during the operation, Ty closed his eyes, this was his fault. Getting into the car he drove off trying to block out the memory of Carter warning him while they were in the car about doing anything stupid. It was fresh in all their memories the last time he screwed up going home one night while under. He did it again, he screwed up again. It was stupid, how could he expect nothing would happen. When you were under you had to stay under. It was much like a method actor. You had to stay in the part the entire time, otherwise you lose something forget something, or something worse could happen.

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"You want to go get something to eat?" Dean asked as he signed the report.

Jamie looked up surprised, she never expected Dean to ask her to go out, even as a colleague. If what he said was true and all they had was sex, then this was unexpected. It was also dangerous waters. She knew connections, especially in their field, could be dangerous. Scott was safe because he was only a district attorney right now. No one would look into him, or her for that matter too much. Later it would be a problem, but right now it was not.

"I thought we weren't suppose to hang out outside of work." She answered back.

Dean smiled at her, "Never stopped us before."

She smiled back at him remembering the good times they had together, the sex was great. Better then she expected it to be, enough to make her think twice about going back to Scott. But Scott was safe. Scott was one of the guys who would always come back. Dean, on the other hand, was the typical bad boy. He would leave without notice. Never mind the dangers of their job. Either of them could die at any moment, tonight was proof of how fragile their lives were and how dangerous a simple operation could go. "where?"

"Across the street?"

"Sure." She said getting up her report having been printed. She grabbed her coat and followed Dean outside.

They sat in silence for a few minutes waiting for their food orders to arrive. Dean finally broke the silence, "You know you are going to miss the leftovers Scott put in the fridge for you." He grinned at her.

"They will be there for later." She said trying to ignore the sarcasm in his voice. What was it about her being with Scott that bothered him? They just had sex nothing more. And yet it appeared after reading between the lines, and then reading between those lines that he cared more. "What is your problem with Scott?"

"nothing don't know the guy." Dean said, "But he just doesn't seem your type."

"You've known me what less then a year already and you know my type?"

"We had sex, that helps you get to know a person real well really fast. And from what I know and from what I've observed he's not your type. I expected maybe Carter. You seemed to have a crush on him for a bit."

"What am I a high school teenager?"

"No but you have daddy issues. That was why you were trying so hard to impress Carter. I mistook it at first and just thought it was a crush. "

"Oh yeah because Carter is so dreamy."

"Men don't check out other men, and that's besides the point, daddy issues have made man of women sleep with Hugh Hefner and the man is just downright not good looking."

"I thought men don't check out other men." Jamie smiled.

"We don't. But it's obvious without checking him out." Dean said enjoying the little back and forth.

"So Scotts not my type?" She said.

"Yeah otherwise you would be at home with him now and not sitting in some shitty Chinese restaurant with me."

"Or maybe I was hungry and thought you might have something productive to talk about."

"Yeah go ahead and believe your own bull shit."

"Fine we had fun dissecting me how about you. Want to talk about daddy issues, you have mommy issues mixed in. What's wrong Dean did mommy and daddy not love you enough? Were they disappointed in you, so you choose to become a police officer. Thinking that was the last thing they wanted, but hey at least you would help people. Maybe mommy and daddy would be happy. Except they weren't. it was below you, not what they had dreamt for little Dean. So Carter comes along with these grand ideas and you see a chance to impress mommy and daddy so you jump at the chance. Except they still aren't impressed. At this point you know nothing you do is going to impress them so you look up to Carter. Want to be just like him. No connections outside of work, and live for the job. 24/7 taking on the bad guys. Tiptoeing on the line between being under and being one of them. Enjoying the danger knowing any moment the wind can blow you either way. You live for it because it's all you have. When it's all over you return to your lonely apartment, alone! Excuse me for trying not to end up alone living for the job." Jamie snapped back at Carter, happy for once that the restaurant was empty in the early hours of the morning.

"Bravo. " Dean said not smiling, he was upset, "Now if you only could get past whatever you think you know." Dean got up throwing money on the table.

"Where are you going?"

"Back home to my lonely apartment." Dean answered.

"Come on sit down finish eating. We both are upset and we both said things true or not. Just sit down and finish don't be a baby."

Dean turned back to the table, he was acting stupid, he knew it. "Ok." He said taking his seat again. They ate again in silence when they finished they both paid.

"How about a drink?" Jamie asked not wanting to go home yet. Scott would still be there and she didn't feel like arguing with him. He didn't understand why she couldn't tell him about her past, her job, anything. It was hard to explain to him that he still meant a lot to her, but there was so much she couldn't explain or share with him.

"You buying?" Dean asked not really caring.

"First ones on me." She said leading him down the street to a bar that was still open. They grabbed a seat at the bar.

"So what about your past? What does Carter have on you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." She smiled at him taking a gulp of her beer.

"Well it seems Ty felt like telling you about my past. It's only fair I get to know abut yours."

"How do you know it was Ty?"

"Carter doesn't have a big mouth like Ty. He would never tell you."

"Fair enough, but I'm still not going to tell you." She said leaning towards him. He smelt good. Most men did not smell good. It was something about them, they usually smelt dirty. Dean smelt nice. A mixture of musk mixed with his natural smell. It was a nice smell. The smell being one of the strongest senses it was what she remembered about him most. How he smelt. She smiled at him, "Want to get out of here and go somewhere else?"

"Sure." Dean failed to point out that they just arrived. They both finished off their drinks. "how about the shop? I know where Carter hides his good stuff."

"Won't daddy get mad?" Jamie smiled at him, she was flirting. She didn't know why but she was flirting with him.

"We'll replace it with water. He'll never know the difference." Dean joked back, "I'll get him a new bottle."

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Dean decided to call the hospital to get an update on Carter. Jamie was in the bathroom, both of them were drunk sharing a bottle of Carters liquor. "I'm calling to get an update on Carter Shaw?"

"Are you family sir?"

"Yes. I'm his son." Dean said knowing that was enough usually to get through.

"Hold please." He could hear typing in the background. Then the line went to annoying que music.

"Mr. Shaw?"

"Yes. How is he doing?"

"You're father is woke up this morning. He is breathing on his own. " The nurse answered his question.

"That's great. Can you tell him his son and daughter will be up later to see him."

"I sure will. I'm sure he'll be happy to see family. We just got the other gentlemen his co-worker out of here."

"Which one was that?" Dean asked.

"Um hold on let me find his name. He left it with his number. Requesting we call him as soon as Mr. Shaw woke up again. I hope that is ok, we did not know Mr. Shaw had immediate family members. Ah here is name is, it's Ty."

"Ah yeah it is fine. Ty is a good friend. Thank you." Dean hung the phone up smiling. "Guess what?"

"What?" Jamie said walking out of the bathroom.

"Ty stayed with Carter last night."

"Really."

"According to the nurse."

Before the conversation could continue Jamie's phone rang. "Excuse me." She walked away from where Dean was sitting and answered.

"Where are you?" Scotts voice asked through the phone.

"At work still."

"I heard that a cop got shot last night. I was worried."

"Where did you hear that from?" Jamie asked, she didn't think Carters shooting would make the news as a cop. They would want to protect him and his ability to go undercover. It was kind of difficult to go undercover if your face was all over the news. People would remember.

"Through the grapevine."

"oh. Well I'm fine. Just busy at work."

"Are you going to make it home tonight?"

"Probably. I'm not sure." Jamie lied to him, it was second nature to her. She was so use to lying it meant nothing when she did.

"I haven't seen you in days."

"I know Scott. It's the job."

"The one you can't tell me about. You are a cop right?"

"No I can't tell you about it, and yes I am a cop." She was upset how dare he question her like this. Like she was some suspect, some criminal.

"Funny all my cop friends can tell me about their jobs. But you can't?"

"I told you I'm working for a special unit. That's all I can say. Even saying that can get me in trouble."

"Whatever. I just don't understand. You won't tell me about what you do for days on end, you won't open up about your family or your past. What can you tell me other then you like me. You can't even tell me you love me."

Crap, this was coming up again. Why was it so wrong for someone to not say I love you back, when they did not feel that way. How is it her fault that she was not as quickly to fall in love with him. She knew at the time she should have said it back, but she was trying to be honest with him, as much as she could be. "Scott I don't have time to discuss this right now."

"You never have time. Or is it that you just don't want to make the time? Either way I'm not sure this is going to work out. I am there for you, but you are never there. And I can only do this for so long before I start feeling like maybe you just don't care."

"So you are breaking up with me again?"

"Yeah I think I am." Scott hung the phone up.

"Damn it." Jamie said closing the phone. Maybe it was a mistake to date someone so early. All she knew was that she did not want to end up like Carter. She did not want to live just for the job and have no life outside of it.

"Trouble in paradise."

"Shut up Dean." Jamie snapped ready to throw her phone in anger.

"Calm down there princess."

"I'm not your fucking princess."

"Sorry." Dean said raising his hands in surrender.

"Does Carter have more stuff stashed?"

"Of course." Dean said, "But you are replacing the second bottle."

"Fair enough. Go get it." Jamie walked over to the couch sitting down. She began to wonder how many nights Carter spent on the couch sleeping or trying to sleep. It was well known that Carter practically lived where he worked. It wasn't known if he actually had a different address or not.

Dean came back with the second bottle of alcohol. Setting it down on the table he took a seat next to Jamie on the couch. "So what are we drinking to forget?"

"Nothing. " Jamie said taking the bottle and drinking directly from it.

"You do know Carter probably has done the same."

"Well according to you I have a crush on him, so this is almost like kissing him if I were a school girl."

"Disgusting." Dean said taking the bottle from her and taking a drink from it.

He went to hand it back to her, but instead he found her looking at him.

"Was it really just sex?" She asked.

Dean knew this was one of those moments that come only rarely in a lifetime. It was a moment where the next words out of his mouth would lead him down two different paths. One was the end of his friendship or whatever else he might have had with Jamie. This path was a dark one which led him to being alone, as he was now. No one there for him when he came home at night. No one to keep him from stepping over the line. The other lead him down a different path in which he and Jamie would date and there were issues involved in just that idea. Issues about the job, how would it affect them while they were working? Would it compromise their ability to assume the identities they needed to go undercover, or what they did while they were undercover? What happened when it ended? Because it would end eventually. The options on both sides were scary and led to the ultimate destruction of what was and what could be.

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	5. Chapter 5

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.

Sorry for the update. Too many hours spent working on a syllabus…

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Ty walked into his house looking around for any signs of life. There were no signs of Melissa, he felt relieved because he wasn't sure if he had it in him to talk anymore. He wanted to go up to bed and sleep forever. Walking to the bedroom he kicked his shoes off and dropped onto the bed curling up on top of the covers he felt himself drift off to sleep quickly.

Melissa had been in the bathroom and watched her husband as he walked into the bedroom dropping onto the bed. She could tell by looking at him that he needed sleep. He needed time, and she would give it to him. Before she walked out she kissed him on the head, not disturbing his already deep slumber.

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"We should probably go home." Dean said avoiding answering the question. It was the best he could do at the moment he needed time to think of which path he wanted to take.

"Or you could answer the question Dean. You've been strange ever since you came to my apartment and found Scott there." She remembered that night. How sad Dean looked, how upset he was, and she wasn't there for him. Practically told him to get lost, without so much as a thank you for being there for her. It was a mistake, she knew that now, but would Dean allow her to make up for it.

"you were just reading into it too much. Seeing what you wanted."

"So it was just sex?"

"I didn't say that. But we can't do this Jamie."

"Why not?"

"Because we work together. At some point our lives may depend on one another and we can't have other things in the way."

"You mean like feelings."

"Anything Jamie. There have been enough mistakes recently by all of us that has led to people almost dying or people dying." Dean said knowing he would reach her through the people dying she would remember her first undercover operation in which the guy died.

"So you don't want to give us a try?"

"It has to be just sex. It can't be anything more. If Carter finds out he'll be pissed. He might even kick one or both of us off the team. And I like my job."

"I can settle for just sex." She said knowing both of them knew it was more, but if he wanted to lie to himself and her she'd let him. "If that is what you want."

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Carter fought to consciousness again, the fog was not as strong as last time. The battle to reach consciousness took only a few minutes. He opened his eyes, feeling a pain radiating from various parts of his body. Closing his eyes he swallowed trying to gain some moisture in his mouth. It hurt to swallow because no moister came. Looking around he noticed starch white walls, and felt the rough sheets under him. Hospital, he was in the hospital, he remembered waking up before struggling to breath choking on something. Hospital, why was he in the hospital? He tried to remember, pain, mostly came from his shoulder, chest and abdomen. Why?

Then he remembered he was shot. He felt the first bullet, but he didn't remember feeling the second one. The first bullet that tore through his shoulder. The second one he did not feel, adrenalin probably. But why was his chest hurting too? Sharp shots of pain every time he took a deep breath. Broken ribs, that's what it felt like, how did he break his ribs?

Before he could work out anymore a nurse walked into his room. She smiled at him, "Good to see you awake Mr. Shaw." She moved over to the bed taking note of the information on the heart monitor.

"How long have I been here?"

"A day now." She answered smiling at him as she looked over his bandages, noting the amount of blood and fluid in the chest tubes that ran out of him. "Do you need some water?"

"Please. And call me Carter please." He said his voice still scratchy.

"Sure Carter. I'll be right back with fresh cold water. Then I need to finish my check up."

"ok." He said closing his eyes, he was already exhausted again. What did they have him on?

The nurse returned shortly after she left and noticed the patient was resting. Quietly she took his temperature using an ear thermometer.

Carter opened his eyes and looked at her. He did not hear her enter the room again.

"Oh sorry I thought you were asleep." She said. "Let me get you that cup of water." She poured a coup of water from the pink pitcher into a clear plastic cup. Putting a straw in it she held the cup for Carter and let him drink from the straw.

Carter suddenly realized he was thirsty. He drank quickly the cool liquid that seemed to help his sore dry throat.

"Slow down please Mr. Sh…Carter." She warned him.

Finishing the cup Carter closed his eyes again. He felt better, at least his throat felt better.

"What is your pain rating?" She asked.

"Five." He answered truthfully.

"I'll page the doctor about getting you a bit more pain killer. We wanted you to maintain consciousness for a bit before we gave you too much. Anything else?"

"When do I get out of here?" He was already itching to be away from the room.

"You'll be lucky to be released in a couple of weeks." She paused noticing the disappointment in his face, "You sustained serious injuries. You're body needs time to recuperate."

Carter just wanted to be out of here, he hated hospitals. He felt trapped, he hated being trapped.

"I should probably call your friend." She said turning to walk out of the room.

"Who?" Carter asked his voice better then the harsh tone it held earlier. Who was his friend?

"Um a Ty something. He stayed with you all of last night." The nurse turned around and walked out of the room leaving Carter to his thoughts.

As he was thinking about what happened, remembering the events that led him to this moment, he was interrupted by the sound of Dean clearing his throat.

"Boss." He said walking into the room.

Carter could smell the alcohol from his position prone in the bed. "Bring the bar with you?"

"No sorry Captain would probably kill me." Dean smiled at him. "But once you are out I'll buy you a drink."

The nurse returned. "The doctor gave me permission to give you a bit more morphine." S he fiddled with the IV adjusting the drip rate. "Meanwhile I'm going to give you a shot to help with the immediate pain."

"Getting the good stuff. Feel like sharing?" Dean asked taking the seat next to Carters bed.

"Sure if you bring the bar back with you."

"Got it." Dean said relaxing back in the chair. He wanted to ask Carter a question, but he wasn't sure how to get phrase it without giving the question away.

"What do you want Dean?" carter asked after a few moments of silence. He felt exhaustion overtaking him again. He shifted uncomfortable, a tube running up his penis insured it was impossible to be comfortable. What he really wanted to do was drift off back to sleep, but he could see his most promising employee had something bothering him.

"Do you think Ty lost his ability to do this job because of his connection with Melissa?"

"Are you asking me this because you are worried about Ty, or are you worried about connecting with someone and it ruining your ability to do what we do?"

"Both." Dean said taking the easy route.

"It depends on the person. Melissa doesn't understand what Ty does. It makes it hard for Ty. And this was always just one step in the path. Ty isn't a career UC. "

"But I am?"

"I didn't have to promise you anything but a big bust." Carter said. That fact is what made Carter respect Dean more the most of his other UC's. He was in it for the job. Yeah there was the impressing his mother and father, but everyone had that issue. The job meant the most to Dean.

"What about my other question?"

"I thought I answered them both." Carter said his eyes started to close, "Just remember Dean whatever you do with Jamie could affect you undercover. You might have to work with her sometime, and will you be able to do that? It is never a good idea to date someone you work with."

Dean could see Carter was struggling to stay awake. "We can talk about it later." Dean relaxed back in the chair closing his own eyes and letting himself drift on his own thought process. Debating his options still. He left Jamie without a clear cut answer. Stating again that they should go home and meet up later to go visit Carter and see if there was anything they needed to do at work. Instead of going home he came to visit Carter.

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Ty awoke alone in bed. He still felt exhausted when his ringing phone pulled him from his slumber. Grabbing the phone off the night stand he answered it, "Ty."

"Hey babe." Melissa's voice filtered through.

Ty smiled as he rolled over onto his back.

When Ty didn't answer Melissa continued, "I thought you might want me to wake you up before it got too late."

"What time is it?"

"2 in the afternoon."

Ty sat up, "Thanks."

"I also wanted to let you know I have to go to this dinner thing tonight for work."

"oh."

"I'll be home afterwards. Probably around 9."

"ok." Ty said stretching.

"Any news about Carter?"

"No not yet." Ty wondered if that was a good or a bad thing. He felt the guilt tighten his chest again.

"Honey I have to go. I have a meeting soon. I made lunch for you it's in the fridge."

"thank you."

"I'll see you when I get home from work."

"Goodbye. I love you."

"Bye Ty. I love you too." She hung the phone up.

Ty walked to the kitchen finding the food in a taperware container. But as he looked at it he realized he wasn't hungry. Instead he grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, opening it he took a sip before putting the cap back on. He continued down to the bathroom quickly undressing, turning the water on and climbing into the shower. Closing his eyes he leaned against the shower wall. His arms crossed, with his forehead rest on his forearm. He let the water run down his back and relax his muscles. It felt good to shower, to try to wash off some of the grime from the past few days. He wished he could wash away the guilt he felt.

After awhile he quickly washed up, climbing out of the shower after turning the water off he grabbed a towel wrapping it around himself. He walked into the bedroom picking out clothes to wear. After dressing in a pair of blue jeans, and a black t-shirt he grabbed his cell phone dialing the hospital. A few transfers later he was talking to the nurse on duty at the ICU desk.

"I am calling to check on Carter Shaw." Ty said waiting for the nurse to respond.

"Are you family?"

"I was the gentlemen with him last night." Ty said, "I left my name and number with his nurse."

"Yes sorry. His son is visiting right now. We did not call you because he had his son there."

Ty was confused, as far as he knew Carter did not have any children. "Would it be ok if I came and visited?"

"I'm sure that would be fine. He is doing better. He's been lucid a few times."

"Great." Ty said, "thank you for the update." Ty hung the phone up and continued to ponder about Carters son.

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Jamie found herself at home alone. Laying in bed looking up at the ceiling. It was hard to come down after the stressful night between Carter getting shot, the end of her relationship with Scott, and Dean's inability to decided what he wanted it was hard to just drift off to sleep. Her mind ran circles round each event. Could she have done anything different to prevent Carter from being shot? Would he be ok? Would he be able to return to work? If he was not able, would whoever replace him be willing to work with her? She had her file, but it did not mean someone else couldn't get it. Would they forget the information like Carter had?

What about Scott? Was this the end? Or did he need another break? And if he needed another break, was he worth the effort? He never would understand what she did. Even if she explained it to him, he could never fully understand why she needed to do it so bad. Why this job was perfect for her.

Dean, that was even more difficult. Did she want a relationship? She did not want to become one of those girls. Those girls that sleep with their co-worker and when people find out the assume it's to further her career, or that she is just slut. She didn't want to be that girl. Not that Carter or Ty would assume either. What about when Carter found out? He would not be too happy about it. Would he kick her off the team. He respected Dean, so there was no way he would get rid of Dean. She was way more expandable. Which meant when the relationship ended it would be her who would have to move from the team.

All of this and much more kept racing through her mind as she desperately tried to rest. The alcohol did nothing to help her. Normally it would have dulled her thoughts enough to let her sleep, but today it did not help. It only reminded her of drinking with Dean.

Her cell phone rang bringing her away from the never ending cycle of thoughts. "Jamie."

"Hello, This is Captain Maynard. I need you to meet with me in the safe house today at five."

"What about?"

"Just be there at five." Captain Maynard said, "See you then." He hang up the phone leaving Jamie with another question and a new fear. Did he find out about her past? Was that why he wanted to meet her to tell her she was done and possible facing criminal charges?


	6. Chapter 6

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.

Sorry shot update but I'm jumping a few weeks in the next update (probably will be posted tonight since I won't get a chance to watch episode tonight :(

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The next time Carter woke up, it was because he felt a sharp piercing pain in his side. Opening his eyes was much easier this time. Looking up confused at a blond female who smiled down at him, he questioned, "What are you doing?"

"I am removing one of your chest tubes." She said, "I'm sorry it might hurt a bit. I gave you a bit more pain killer and numbed the area." She smiled and continued about her work.

Carter tried to watch her as she removed the chest tube. It was filled with a bloody mixture that looked disgusting. He decided it would be best not to watch. "how much longer till I can actually move around?"

"We want to wait one more day on the final chest tube, then after we take that out, we will try to get you out of bed and moving. Only a little though. Maybe trips to and from the bathroom."

That made Carter happy, being stuck laying in bed was bad enough, but not being able to use the restroom was so much worse. Humiliating at times, especially with a weak body that was not in complete control of itself because of all the drugs running through his system, it mean mistakes happened that were embarrassing.

The sound of someone clearing their throat brought him back to the present.

Captain Maynard stood in the doorway, "I can come back later if need be." He said to the lady doctor and Carter.

"No it's fine." Carter said trying to relax.

"I'm almost done. A nurse can change his bandages later."

Carter asked, "What do you need?"

"I had a meeting with the team." He said.

"You aren't suppose to know them." Carter said wanting to sit up, but he knew better then to try that.

"I think circumstances allowed for it. They were all here when I showed up. I remember Ty and Dean from previous operations." Captain explained, he managed to get the teams numbers from Carters phone. "I told Jamie and Dean to take a vacation. For the next few weeks while you are out. Ty is suspended until further notice."

"You shouldn't have suspended Ty."

"What would you have done?" Captain asked taking a seat trying to avoid watching the doctor work.

"Talked to him."

"Carter I know you are invested in him. You have taught him a lot and he has delivered a lot. But from what I have read in your reports he's slipping. I can't in good conscience let him continue working UC when he is endangering others. Not just your team, but his wife, and himself are all in danger when he disobeys your orders."

"That is what these guys do. That is why they are good at what we do." Carter explained.

"I know, but at some point a line has to be drawn, and Ty is willing to step over protocol just to see his wife, what about later? What else will he be willing to ignore?"

"Bring him back. In a few months he'll be in long enough to get a transfer if he wants it." Carter said. "You can promote him then."

"On his performance now? I should promote him from disobeying orders, getting his superior officer shot, and endangering the life's of others?"

"He's a good cop." Carter said pain radiating in his chest he stressed the words too much. Fuck this hurt and it sucked not being able to argue without pain.

"Enough for now." The doctor said, "Mr. Shaw is suppose to be resting not arguing."

The Captain looked at Carter, he knew Carter had to understand his view point. Even if he didn't like it. Carter still had to see where he was coming from.

"Just give him time." Carter said softly. "Remember the deal we made? I run it my way."

"carter I'm giving you enough rope to hang yourself and a lot of people here. Be careful. " Captain had an afterthought he didn't share with Carter, if Ty screwed up enough that someone got killed Carter would never forgive himself. Carter would beat himself up more than he does now, if Ty's wife got injured or some other innocent because he did not take Ty out of play.

The doctor waited to the side to make sure the two men were finished arguing. When the conversation ended and silence took over the room she took her leave promising to send a nurse in to take care of Carters bandages.

"Anything else?" Carter asked.

"I'm glad you are ok." Captain said looking at Carter. "You do know I won't let you back to active duty until the doctor clears you?"

"Come on." Carter said, "I can work from the sidelines. Sit in the safe house and run things from there. What is the worst that can happen a paper cut? I accidently stab myself with the a spork while eating a fruit cup?"

"That is not up for debate. Departmental rules."

"How is the wife? Shouldn't you be home with her?"

"She is fine. She wanted to come see you. She hasn't seen you in a long time. I told her to wait a few days until you were a bit stronger. " Maynard couldn't help but smile thinking about his wife. Even before Carter became the man he is now, Maynard's wife always had an almost motherly way towards him. Carter had worked under Maynard in the narcotics department.

The bust they were able to complete because of Carters skills brought both men up in the ranks quickly. It was only after that Carters wife died, that the man that was now Carter, stopped caring about the politics that came along with the job. Carter barely made it to work and when he did he was drunk. The powers that be at the time wanted Carter gone. Their hero had changed and no amount of accommodations or lectures would bring the hero back. Carter was far from burnt out, he was jaded, and there was only one way that Carter would thrive on the force after his wife's death. Maynard arranged for Carter to be taken off active roster. To hide him for awhile, while Carter found a team to do the job that most cops would never be able to do. Maynard had made it so that Carter could do things his way to bring down the worst criminals LA had to offer.

"Go home Captain. See the wife. I'll be fine." Carter said closing his eyes. The half hour spent talking had sapped whatever energy his body had stored up.

"I'll be by again tomorrow, I probably won't be able to keep Mary away much longer." Maynard touched his friends good shoulder as he spoke. "She'll probably want to check you over herself and offer you a room at our house when you are out."

"Thanks but no thanks." Carter said as he allowed himself to sink back under the waves into a peaceful sleep.

As the Captain was leaving he ran into Ty walking down the hallway. "He's asleep now." The Captain stated.

"Ok." Ty said still looking like shit despite clean clothes and a shower.

"He wants you on the team still. And I promised him I'd let him run things. Just don't make him regret it."

"Thank you sir."

"I told the others to go on vacation until Carter is back on his feet."

"Ok." Ty said walking with the Captain towards the elevators. There was no reason to visit Carter if he was asleep.

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Dean stood outside of Jamie's apartment debating on whether or not he was going to knock on the door. Finally getting up the nerve he knocked twice waiting for her to answer.

Jamie came to the door in a pair of shorts and a tank top. A iPod attached to her arm. "Hey."

"Hey. Did I interrupt something?"

"I was just getting ready to go for a run."

"You run?"

"Yeah." She said smiling. "You don't?"

"not if I can help it." Dean answered.

"What did you need?"

"Well I thought since we had this vacation time that I would go visit my parents. I haven't seen them in years, since I joined the force actually."

"Ok have a great time." She said smiling at him wondering why he was telling her.

"I thought maybe I could get some back up? They won't be such bastards if I bring someone with me." Dean quickly covered his tracks, "Even just a friend."

"I'm not sure." She said wondering what it meant, meeting the parents usually was a big thing. Did she really want to do that when they weren't even dating?

"Come on what else are you doing?"

"Oh so this is a pity invite? Invite the person who has no family around."

"No this is a save my ass by having back up invite." Dean said.

"You never answered my question."

"Jamie nevermind. Do whatever. Have a good break." Dean said discouraged he walked away not turning back.


	7. Chapter 7

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.

Ok here is a longer update. May not be able to update tomorrow so enjoy.

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**A few Weeks Later**

"Carter you can't leave yet." The nurse said trying to stop the man who was currently dressing himself in a pair of scrubs that had been provided to him earlier to help him be more comfortable.

"Yes I can. I signed out AMA, signed the form and everything." He said struggling to pull the shirt on.

The nurse quickly helped him so he would not tear his stitches. "You've barely been here two weeks. You still need rest."

"Which I can do from the comfort of home."

"PT?"

"That's why this city has cabs. I can come in and do it." Carter said out of breath leaning against the bed. He wondered if he was making the right decision, but ultimately he didn't care he had to get out of the hospital now. It felt like the walls were closing in on him, his world was coming to a complete stand still and he wasn't use to that. He was always a man on the move, always working, day and night 24/7 and to be forced to sit back and do nothing was killing him.

"Let me go get a wheel chair. Don't argue about it it's hospital policy wait here and I'll also get your medications for you from the pharmacy to save you a trip." She said rushing off. Should she call one of the two people who left numbers? Maybe the guy who was in charge of Carter at work. Could he talk sense into the injured man who refused to stay in the hospital? Probably not, the look in the crystal blue eyes told her nothing was going to stop him.

When she returned to the room she found him fully dressed, including a pair of shoes. She kept a hold of the wheel chair as he sat. As she walked him out she explained to him what he needed to do. The doctor probably gave him information on how to change his bandages, when to take pills, how much of what he could have, and everything else he needed to know. However, she had been his nurse since he had been moved out of the ICU the first week of his admittance. She couldn't help but care about the man who appeared to have a dark side. Not a dark side as in a bad person who would snap and kill everyone, but a tortured soul. The type of person who had lived a hard life, seen a lot of bad things, and continued on. The type of person that if most people had lived his life they would be curled up in a corner praying for death, or already having killed themselves from the pain. She knew nothing of the man she came to care for as more than a patient, but she knew he was a good guy that needed a lot of help.

"If you have any questions feel free to call." She finished her lecture once she got outside handing him a bag of medication she had gotten for him from the hospital pharmacy.

"Thank you." Carter said slowly standing up. It was difficult to stand with one arm out of commission and his side aching in pain from movement.

A taxi was waiting for him, he climbed into the back seat with his bag of personal belongings and medication.

"Where to?"

Carter gave the driver the address. And closed his eyes in the backseat. It felt nice to be free from the hospital. He knew soon the Captain would be calling, and eventually he would probably sick his wife on Carter in an attempt to get Carter to listen to reason. It would not work, he was not going back. He was healed enough to live on his own.

The car stopped about twenty minutes later. Carter paid the driver and told him to keep the change. His first stop was to grab food from a small grocery store down the street. Taking the bag he walked up to the safe house, or headquarters. Going inside he could tell no one had been inside for awhile. Dust had formed on surfaces, and it was deadly silent. Locking the door he limped over to the couch finding his laptop where he left it. Opening the laptop he turned the video of him and his wife on. He only watched it when he knew he was alone. It reminded him of better times, and why he continued to do the job despite wanting nothing more then to be with her again. Laying on the couch he ate a fruit cup and drank a bottle of water. Finishing the meal with a round of pills he lined up on the table. He relaxed slipping off into sleep, exhausted from the movements of the day. His side ached reminding him he had done too much too soon already.

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Ty was tired of sitting at home. He had gone to lunch with Melissa almost every day, and cooked dinner for the both of them most nights. He had been told not to return to the hospital by Carter on his third visit. It was better if he didn't, Carter reasoned, so that his cover would not be blown. He could not be seen visiting the cop who got shot by anyone. It would only possibly compromise future operations. Ty wondered if it had to do with Carter being pissed off for getting shot, or if it was the truth? He concluded that it was a mixture of both.

He was going to make up for it though. An idea had formed while he was reading the news paper one morning. An operation to redeem the last one he screwed up. All he had to do was go to the safe house and work out the details. If he got a jump start he could have the covers ready by time Carter was able to come back to work. Ty knew it would be long before the doctors gave Carter the all clear to return. Carter would not wait that long, he probably would be back as soon as he got out of the hospital. Pulling the strings from the background again.

Ty had heard throughout the years about a lawyer that helped clients in an unusual way. The lawyer would aid clients in finding potential buyers for good, or goods for potential buyers. He acted like a middle man gaining a profit from both sides for the connection. Ty wanted to take the lawyer down. It would be a good bust, especially if they could get the guys files and some of his clients. It would be the bust of the century. A big fish to take down a lot of little fishes.

Walking into the safe house he stopped at the door, there was a bag sitting right inside the door. He continued his way into the safe house looking around for signs of life. When he reached where they usually worked he heard a soft snoring coming from the couch. Quickly covering the distance between where he was and the couch he was surprised to find Carter sound asleep on the couch. The coffee table was littered with a laptop, a few bottles of pills, and an empty fruit cup and spork. Ty debated on whether or not he should wake Carter up. There was no way the hospital had released him this early. Which mean Carter had checked out against medical advice.

Ty looked at the laptop again he saw a younger happier version of Carter with a woman he had never seen before. She looked happy. The two people in the frozen picture on the screen where sitting together smiling. Carter had his arm around her, holding her close, looking at her. She was sitting next to him on a blanket smiling looking at whoever was holding the camera. Not aware of, what Ty assumed, was her lover looking at her in awe. It was the happiest he had ever seen Carter.

Turning away Ty mulled over the information. He knew better then to grab Carters laptop and looking for more information on the mysterious woman. Ty grabbed the bag from the entry way and walked it into the kitchen putting up the groceries, water, fruit cups, and easy mac. Just what Carter needed to get better, Ty sarcastically thought to himself .

Grabbing another laptop he walked back into the kitchen. Sitting on the counter he began to conduct research using the LAPD database and google to aid him in tracking down possible sources and gain ideas for different identities that could be assumed to help bring down the lawyer. Hours passed by before Ty heard anything other than Carters soft snores from the other room.

Carter not realizing that someone else was in the safe house groaned as he sat up. Grabbing his side with his good arm he closed his eyes. Sleeping on the couch was not helping with the pain. Typically it worked fine for him, a few hours of sleep on the couch, a quick shower in the bathroom, a quick trim of his stubble, fresh clothes and he was ready to go.

Ty knew it was time to let Carter now of his presence. Moving into the area in which Carter had been sleeping Ty said, "hey Carter."

"Jesus Ty." Carter said nearly jumping out of his skin. What was Ty doing here? It hurt when he flinched from being startled.

Ty walked over setting a bottle of water on the table for Carter and walking back over to a chair. "What are you doing here shouldn't you be in the hospital still?"

"They let me out early on good behavior."

Ty smiled almost laughed, "You now Maynard is going to ream you when he finds out you left the hospital."

"Only if he can find me."

"Yeah hiding at work, doubt he'll find you." Ty wanted to ask about the woman but said nothing. Taking notice of how Carter seemed to realize he had left the video on the laptop. He closed the lid when he leaned forward to grab the bottle of water.

"Shouldn't you be at home with Melissa?"

"She's still at work." Ty said, "And I had an idea of an operation. Wanted to get to work on it while everyone else was away."

Carter raised his eyebrows in interest.

"It's nothing right now." Ty said watching as Carter took a pill from each bottle dumping them into his hand and then swallowing them, chasing them with a gulp of water. "Why don't you go home and rest?" Ty asked, wondering where Carter called home. No one actually knew where Carter lived. Probably because they never needed to know, but he always wondered where Carter laid his head when he finally decided to rest.

"Maynard would find me there." Carter deflected.

"If you want, I was getting ready to leave I could give you a ride home?"

"No. It's fine." Carter said.

"Carter go home. Sleeping on the couch cannot be helping you in any way. You barely fit on it."

"Just leave it alone Ty." Carter snapped.

"How about you come home with me and have a nice home cooked meal then?" Ty continued, "I'll bring you right back after you finish eating. Melissa has been asking about you."

"I highly doubt she's been inquiring about the prince of darkness."

"You know she calls you that?" Ty laughed.

"Yeah. " Carter said.

"Come on Carter. Let me do this for you. Melissa would be pissed if she knew I left you here to eat fruit cups and easy mac. I feel guilty because I was the cause of why you go injured. Melissa feels guilty too because if she had…"

"It wasn't your fault Ty. Things go bad sometimes." They both knew it was a lie. The operation would have went smoothly if Ty had not went to lunch with Melissa.

"Please." Ty said.

Finally giving in, mostly because he was hungry and had not had real food in a long time, Carter conceded with a shake of the head.

"Good. Do you have anything else other then the scrubs? Don't get me wrong I think the blue is very nice, but you kind of smell too."

Carter laughed, "Yeah."

"Ok how about you shower and I'll help you with the bandages if you need it. And then I'll finish up what I need to here and we can go to my house. You can rest on the couch or in the guest room while I cook."

"Ok." Carter said standing up and walking to where he kept some of his clothes.

Ty returned to work waiting for Carter to call for him. It was a few minutes later when his boss called out his name. Rushing over to the bathroom Ty knocked before opening the door. He found Carter sitting on the closed toilet seat. His shirt off revealing his damaged body.

Ty tried not to stare too much as he used the medical scissors to cut away the bandages around Carters abdomen and the one on his shoulder. When he was done with that, he helped unwrap the ace bandage around carters chest. "How did you break your ribs?"

"The kidnapping mission. The guy in charge kicked me after I told Jamie not to pay a dime until I gave the go ahead."

Ty was in awe of Carter. He remembered the mission Carter acted like he was fine. No injuries at all. To find that he had broken ribs and was able to do what he had done was humbling. "So you've been work the past month with broken ribs?"

"They were almost healed." Carter said, both of them ignoring the fact that Carter took pain killers on a regular basis that was probably why he was able to function day to day. It dulled whatever physical and emotional pain he might have been in.

"Ok. Well call if you need any help. I'll be close by so I can hear you."

"Thanks Ty." Carter said waiting for Ty to leave before he finished undressing.

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When they arrived at Ty's house, Ty could see that Carter was fighting to stay awake, and was ashen from the pain of the long drive. Ty led Carter into the house taking him straight to the guest bedroom, which thankfully Melissa had put together. "If you want to rest the bed is actually comfortable."

"Slept on it a few times?"

"What can I say, she's not always happy when I come home from work." Ty said.

"Thanks Ty."

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything. And the bathroom is right down the hallway." Ty pointed to where the bathroom was.

Carter did not bother to pull the blankets back on the bed. He gingerly sat down on the bed kicking his shoes off, using his toes to toe each one off. Then he lay back gently on the bed trying not to jar his ribs or any of his injures. The fresh gauze wrapped around his shoulder and abdomen itched. Ty did a good job with the dressings and the wrapping around his broken ribs. Carter felt foolish needing help, but he knew he could not have done it alone.

Laying back he took note of how soft the bed was. It felt nice under his body, more forgiving then the couch. The pillow smelt of laundry detergent something he had not smelt in a long time. Closing his eyes he drifted off to sleep once more dreaming about better days.

Ty was busy in the kitchen when he heard the front door open. He was not sure how he was going to explain Carters presences. Melissa was not a fan of Carter, it wasn't Carter himself so much as the fact that she blamed Carter for Ty's absence and what Ty came back to her as.

"Hey babe." Ty said softly.

"Why are you talking so softly?" Melissa asked pulling Ty into a hug.

"Carter is in the guest bedroom resting."

"What?" She asked lowering her own voice.

"he was sleeping on the couch in the office babe. I couldn't leave him there. He's still recovering."

"Why didn't he go home?"

"I don't know." Ty said, he had wondered himself.

Before Melissa could tell Ty she did not want Carter staying in her house they heard something from down the hallway. It sounded like a muffled cry.

"I'll go." Ty said walking down the hallway ready for anything.

Walking into the guest room he found his boss asleep in the bed. His face between a mixture of pain and sadness, even in his sleep. "Carter." Ty said walking up to the side of the bed.

"no." Carter said almost in a whimper, "don't."

"Carter man wake up." Ty said louder. He was afraid of touching his boss and hurting him.

Carter eyes shot open, luckily he did not jump up in the bed. Gasping for breath, he grabbed his side, he must have taken too deep of a breath. "Ty?" Carter asked confused seeing his employee stand above him.

"Dinner is almost ready."

"oh." Carter remembered that Ty convinced him to come for a home cooked meal. "Thanks."

"No problem. " T y said leaving the room to allow his boss time to gather himself again.

When Ty returned to the kitchen he found Melissa opening a bottle of wine. "What was that about?"

"He was asleep." Ty said returning to the stove to stir the vegetable he had prepared to go with the steaks he cooked. "Did you have a good day at work?" Ty asked changing the subject hoping Melissa would not peruse the topic anymore or discuss Carter anymore.

"Yeah." She said leaning into him.

Carter walked into the room his shoes back on. His hair ruffled from having slept. He looked more together.

"Hello Carter." Melissa said. "I'm glad that you are doing better.

"Thanks." Carter answered back looking around. "Maybe I should go." Carter couldn't help but notice Melissa was not pleased. He did not want to cause problems for Ty.

"No man come on. I promised you a home cooked meal. Stay it's fine right?" Ty looked a Melissa.

"Yeah." She answered smiling at Cater. It was a smile that never reached her eyes. "Carter do you want something to drink?" She asked him still smiling.

"Please." He said.

She poured him a glass of wine handing it to him. She watched him take a sip of it.

"Thank you." He said shifting uncomfortably.

"So they let you out of the hospital?" Melissa tried small talk.

"Yeah."

Ty smiled, "He's lying. He checked himself out."

"Why would you do that?" Melissa asked seeing that Carter was shifting uncomfortable.

"I don't like hospitals." Carter said setting the cup down on a counter. "Excuse me I left my stuff." Carter left the room quickly going back to the guest room to find his pills finding them he struggled to open the child proof locks with just one hand.

"Babe did you really have to torment him like that." Ty asked.

"He's a big boy he can handle it."

"The man just got out of the hospital. He was shot twice. He's a little off still."

"Ok I'll be nice." S he said walking down the hallway to go change from her business suit into something slightly more comfortable.

She heard grunts coming from the guest bedroom. S he looked in to see Carter sweating, pale, struggling to get the top of a bottle.

Walking into the room she grabbed the bottle from him. Opening it she handed it back. "Your welcome."

Carter took two pills out and quickly dry swallowed them.

Ty was setting the table when Carter returned to the kitchen area.

"Can I help?" Carter asked.

"No you are a guest. Come take a seat. You feeling ok?"

"Yeah just tired." Carter said sitting down at the table, bringing the glass of wine with him.

"Is that going to mix with the meds?"

"One glass won't kill me." Carter answered.

Melissa rejoined them and took a seat next across from Carter.

She did not know what to talk to Carter about. He was so mysterious and quiet around her usually. Rarely did he talk to her, the first words he remembers saying to her was congratulating her when he showed up at her and Ty's reception for a total of five minutes before he took off again.

"Thank you for having me." Carter said to Melissa trying to break some ground with her.

"It's no problem Carter." She smiled and took a sip of her wine. What could she talk to him about? She was struggling to come up with anything. Finding nothing she decided she just needed to get to know more about him.

"What made you become a cop?" She asked. And continued to explain why she asked such a personal question, "I ask all of Ty's friends that. It's interesting to see why people choose to become cops."

"I was born into it. Third generation, my father and grandfather both were police officers." Carter answered.

Ty came into the room and quickly broke the uncomfortable situation by putting the food down on the table.

Melissa helped Carter by putting stuff on the plate for him. She wondered if Ty thought about how Carter was going to cut the steak, with one arm out of commission in a sling it would be difficult. Smiling because she could see his embarrassment when Carter realized it would be impossible for him to cut the steak.

"Why don't you let me do that for you." She said cutting it up quickly as she could wondering about the man sitting before her. In person, as he is now, he did not live up to the idea she had about him in her mind. The prince of darkness did not get embarrassed, he was not pleasant to be around, he did not say thank you, or really care about others. But the man before her did all of those things.

"I was talking to Dean the other day." Ty started to talk to fill the silence. "He is visiting his parents."

"Really?" Carter asked, knowing that Dean did not get along with his parents.

"Yeah. He said since we have time off he was going to go bite the bullet."

"How is Dean doing?" Melissa asked, "He never did call Maloney. "

"Babe how many times do I have to tell you Dean is not interested in having a girlfriend. He is a one night stand type of guy." Ty said before taking a sip of his own wine.

"Well maybe she could change that for him. A good woman can settle down any man." She smiled at Ty, "It worked for you."

"Yes it did." Ty said smiling at her.

"What about you Carter are you seeing anyone?" Melissa asked.

"No." Carter answered not giving any more detail.

"Well if you ever take a break I have a few friends who might be interested." Melissa said knowing that more then a few of her friends would jump at a chance to date the brooding man before her. It didn't help that he was hot as well as the tortured soul type.

"Sorry but I haven't dated anyone since my wife." Carter said letting it slip out he had a wife. Damn it, it was the mixture of the drugs and the wine that made his tongue too loose. It was a stupid mistake he never would make under normal circumstance. He decided it was time to treat this like it was an operation. He was undercover from here on out, no more personal information.

"You were married?" Melissa asked shocked. She automatically assumed that Carters wife probably divorced him when he would not give up the job even for a few hours a day.

"Yeah." Carter said, Ty could see that he was uncomfortable.

She was getting ready to inquire about what happened, when Ty cut her off, "How long do you think the Captain is going to make you stay on sick leave?"

"Hopefully not much longer." Carter answered grateful for the change in subject.

Ty was busy making small talk with both Melissa and Carter, but during the conversations he could not help but think of the woman he had seen on the laptop screen. Was that Carters wife? And if so what had happened to her? Carter was never very forthcoming with details about his life. The man was very much introverted, he carried everything on the inside. Probably why he was one of the best undercover agents ever. Even Ty knew that when he would give Carter trouble for putting his and his teams life on the line. Carter had practically wrote the rules for how to be a successful undercover agent.

When everyone finished eating , Ty and Carter went to patio to relax, while Melissa offered to do the clean up. Ty was filling Carter in on his idea about how to get the lawyer/middleman. Carter liked the idea and offered a few suggestions about how to go about it.

"As soon as the Captain lets me back I'll pitch the idea to him." Carter said surprised that Ty had actually spent some time working despite being on vacation. Carter expected the man who always wanted to rush home to his wife to be busy enjoying his life with his wife while he had the time.

Melissa walked outside on the patio where Carter and Ty were sitting.

"Carter why don't you stay here for a few days?" She asked, deciding that it was time she try to be nice to the man. He looked like shit, and she was not sure if it was a great idea for him to be alone right now. They had a spare bedroom, and isn't that what friends did?

Carter did not know what to say.

"You just got out of the hospital against doctor orders. You really should have someone around to make sure you are ok. And you'll need help changing your bandages." Melissa stated trying to convince the man she disliked to stay, if only to help her husband who felt guilty for putting Carter in the position he was in now. At least that is how she justified her actions.

"I'm not…" Carter went to decline the offer.

She interrupted him, "I insist and I won't take no for an answer."

"Thank you." He said looking down at the ground.

"Good now that is settled. I'm going to go work on some stuff in the den for awhile. You guys don't stay out too long, the bugs are bad right now." She said leaving the two men to their work.

"I'll go by the shop tomorrow and get some of your things. Do you need anything else?" Ty asked.

"My laptop please." Carter said feeling like a child.

"I'm glad you are going to stay with us. Melissa's right you shouldn't be alone right now." Ty got up, "I better run down to the store, we don't have any supplies here to change those bandages."

"Thanks Ty." Carter said looking up at Ty.

"No problem. You should probably get insides. There the TV in the living room if you want to watch something."

"Thanks."

Carter got up and walked back into the guest bedroom. He sat on the bed gingerly removing the sling around his neck to allow his arm to slowly move to rest at his side. Exhaustion overcame him again, he hated feeling weak and tired. Something as simple as eating dinner and talking afterwards was enough to tire him, he hated that. He was used to never sleeping and constantly working. Now his body would not allow it. He barely could think without getting tired. Frustrated he felt like hitting something or screaming, but he did nothing of that nature. He just sat there feeling like a weak man.

Deciding it was best if he showered again before he went to bed, he got up off the bed and propped his arm against his body as he walked down the hallway trying to find the den.

Hearing the Melissa's voice and the sound of typing he followed it to an open door off the living room.

Melissa was dictating something into a voice recorder. When she heard footsteps come up to the door she stopped the recorder and turned around. Shocked to see Carter she asked him, "Do you need something?"

"Sorry to interrupt. Is it alright if I take a shower?" Carter asked.

"Sure. " She said getting up. "Follow me I'll show you where the clean towels are." Melissa led him down the hallway, inside the bathroom there was a cabinet with clean towels.

"Do you need help?" She asked.

"Maybe I should wait until Ty gets back." Carter said not wanting her to have to help him.

"It's no problem Carter I'm a big girl I can handle seeing you without your shirt on." She said.

"ok." Carter said slowly unbuttoning his shirt.

"Why don't you let me do it for you." S he said noticing it was difficult for him, and he kept wincing in pain. She slowly unbutton his shirt. Thankful that Ty did not walk in at that moment it did not look as innocent as it was. She was close enough to him that she could smell musk and soap smell. Just original no frills soap is what he smelled like. She got to the last button and helped him slide the shirt off his good arm and slowly took it off his bad one.

She instantly noticed blood on both bandages. "is that normal?"

"yeah." Carter said shifting uncomfortable.

"Why don't you sit down on the toilet." She offered moving to the drawer to find a pair of scissors.

Carter sat down and watched her closely as she cut away the bandage on his arm. He noticed a slight look of disgust when she saw his arm with the missing flesh. She turned her eyes away noticing other scars on Carters' body, like two thin long white lines on his back, there was also another wound that looked like a bullet wound scar. "Have you been shot before?"

"Once." Carter said softly.

She went to work on the next bandage around his waist. She got it free and then undid the wrapping around his upper chest area, right under his armpit. Once she freed that she saw other white line scars. She almost touched them to ask where they came from but she stopped herself, "Where are these from?"

"Knife wounds" Carter answered he shivered from the chill of the air conditioned house.

"Sorry I'll let you get to your shower. I'll a pair of Ty's clothes for you to change into. Tank top and shorts ok?"

"Yeah thanks." Carter said slowly standing up using the sink countertop to help him.

Melissa rushed out of the room and returned quickly with the promised clothes. "I'll be down the hallway if you need anything."

Ty returned before Carter was out of the shower. He saw his wife and walked up to her, "I got bad news babe."

"What?" She asked worried. It couldn't be work since his boss was in the shower.

"Captain Maynard called. There is an emergency he needs me to meet him at the office. Carter is going to want to come along too."

"Can't it wait. He's in no shape to be working."

"I know, but it is some emergency Dean and Jamie are already there."

"Ty I took the next couple of weeks off from work so I could be with you."

"I know I'm sorry." Ty said, "I'll make it up to you I promise."

"You always promise to make it up."

"I'm sorry." Ty said pulling her into a hug. He heard the shower turn off.

"Just go. I'll handle Carter."

"Are you sure he'll be pissed if he knows I went in without him."

"We'll he'll just have to deal with it. He's in no shape right now."

"Thanks babe."

"You owe me" She said as they hugged and kissed goodbye again.

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Maynard paced back and forth nervous about what he was getting ready to ask Carters team to do. Carter would get upset when he heard that Maynard had once again contacted his team, and would probably kill him for what he was about to ask them to do.

Dean and Jamie arrived around the same time, within minutes of each other. They both were sitting at a table not talking. Dean was sipping on coffee and Jamie was looking out the window as if she were trying to ignore Deans presence.

"Did you both have a nice break?"

"yeah." The answered in unison.

"Did you do anything special?"

"no." Dean answered with Jamie following.

"What is this about sir?" Jamie asked.

"It'd probably be best if we wait until Ty gets here."

"With all due respect the quicker we get to work the better." Dean said.

"Ok." Maynard said knowing that Carter respected Dean, and Maynard himself knew very little about how they worked or what made them so successful. So he went with Deans word. "Today a federal witnesses family was kidnapped by a group that you previously infiltrated."

"Who?" Dean asked wondering who was going to be going undercover.

"The Patriots of America." Maynard answered.

Jamie looked at Dean confused. Dean filled her in, "It was a group awhile back we used to get to an arms dealer. They are a bunch of ex-armed forces guys turned militia. They believe that the rightwing is too soft, and the left wing are socialist trying to take away their constitutional rights. The only thing we could have got them on was possession of weapons without a permit. But it wasn't enough for the trouble, so we went after the people who were selling them the weapons. Ty, went in as a ex-marine who just wanted to purchase some weapons for his own safety. He got in with the group and was able to get to the arms dealer. We were able to take the arms dealer down and also made it look like Ty was arrested for possession of an illegal firearm. It was one of his first operations so Carter made him stay under all the way through the trial trying to get at where the fire arms dealer was getting his supply from. Ty wasn't able to get it so after he was sentenced Carter made it look as if Ty was sent to another prison for having outstanding warrants in another state. Iowa or something like that."

"So Ty could go undercover again with the same cover?"

"In theory yeah. But we would need to get guys from that prison willing to state that Ty served time with them. Or make it look like he was in administration segregation and therefore would have no contact with other inmates. That way if no one knew he was in there, he could just say he was always in segregation."

Maynard asked Dean, "So you think it is workable?"

"Yeah. We just need to fabricate some paperwork and maybe get a guy on the inside willing to say he saw Ty. A guard and an inmate or two would work. Then we would probably want Ty to have backup this time around. Just in case, have him go in with a friend looking to join the group permanently."

"I could do it." Jamie said, "You could stay here and act like Carter."

"Sorry honey but they don't allow women into their group."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." Dean smiled at her.

"Looks like you'll be doing the paper work." Dean smiled.

Ty walked into the room a few minutes later hearing Dean and Jamie arguing about something. "Hey Captain why the meeting?"

Ty was filled in with all the information and he agreed that it would be best for him to go under with Dean to try and see where the group was keeping the witnesses family. "By the way who is the witness testifying against?"

"The leader of the group. They were into some illegal activities, laundering money from drugs. The group recently took up cooking meth as a way to help support their gun supplies. The guy is a banker who was laundering the money for him. His operation was caught by the FBI and he turned states evidence against the Patriots of America to save himself prison time."

"Are we sure it's the Patriots of America who have his family?" Dean asked, "If the guy turned on one client I'm assuming he turned on all of them?"

"Yeah, but they requested that their leader and two of the other high ranking officers be released. They were the only people he could tie to the Meth money and the meth lab."

"What is are timeframe?" Ty asked.

"The FBI thinks they can stall them for a week tops."

"So it's going to be a quick operation." Ty said.

"Hopefully." Maynard answered.

"Let's get to work." Dean said. "By the way anyone know where Carter is?"

Maynard frowned, "In the hospital."

"Not as of about an hour ago. Right after you called me I called the hospital and they told me he checked out AMA."

Maynard looked pissed, "Does anyone know where he is?"

Ty hated to admit it, but he did so that no one would worry, "he's at my house. I found him here earlier today sleeping on the couch. I was able to convince him to come to my place for dinner and Melissa convinced him to stay for awhile."

"Seriously Melissa asked him to stay?" Dean said surprised.

"Yeah I know."

"What?" Jamie asked feeling like she was missing out on the inside joke.

"Melissa isnt' a big fan of Carters." Dean said, "She calls him the prince of darkness."

"it suits him." Jamie said. "Should we call him about this?"

"No I'm sure once Melisa tells him I'm gone he'll be on the phone. Should be any minute now." Ty said looking at his phone.

It was Dean's phone who rang a few minutes later, "Bendis."

"What the hell is the Captain doing? Put him on the phone." Carter said, his voice rough and scratchy.

"It's nice hearing from you too Carter." Dean said pulling the phone away from his ear as Carter began to yell, " Captain he wants to talk to you."

Maynard took the phone from Dean, "Carter calm down."

"Calm down. You call my team that is suppose to be far off the books, far enough that there is no way to trace them back to the police. And then you don't call me. What are you playing at?"

"There was an emergency. The FBI requested our help again. And your team has a history with the suspects in the case."

"Who?"

"Patriots of America." Maynard answered.

"So you want Ty to go under again?"

"Yeah and have Dean go as back up."

"Why?"

"The group kidnapped a government witness family. Carter they have the mans two daughters and his wife. They are innocents." Maynard knew he was playing to Carters weakness, he really did not like kidnappers, especially those who too women and children.

"Fine I want in on this."

"I can't let you Carter. You are still on sick leave. There is no way I can let you back in good conscience."

"If you want my team you have to take me as well."

"How about Jamie keep you updated on what Ty and Dean report back. It shouldn't be more than a week."

Carter argued with the Captain a little longer, and it was finally settled that Dean and Ty would report to Carter however they usually did. If someone had to be physically present Jamie would do it and immediately report to Carter what she had been informed.

"You stay away from this." Carter told Maynard.

"I am. I even called them using a drop phone." A drop phone is a pay as you go phone that is only used a few times before it is tossed. It is virtually untraceable if bought by using cash.

"Good." Carter said feeling a bit more in control. "let me talk to Dean."

Maynard handed Dean back his phone.

"Yeah Carter." Dean said.

"is this doable?"

"Yeah it is."

"Ok I expect you to keep them in line on this one."

"No problem."

Carter could hear Ty in the background telling Dean to let Carter know he'd be by later with his stuff, and to talk to Melissa about leaving. Carter wondered if he would be moving back to the safe house after Melissa found out Ty wasn't going to be there. It probably was a good option since Melissa did not particularly care for him.


	8. Chapter 8

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it.

Sorry short update, had to do some academic writing got to get an article out for publication.

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Ty returned home explaining to Melissa that he had to leave and go undercover for a week. She was not happy, as he had predicted, "You were suppose to have this time off."

"I know babe, but I wouldn't do this if it wasn't important."

"What's more important to you Ty, your job or me?" She asked him.

"Melissa you are the most important thing to me in this world. But right now you are asking me to let innocent people die by doing nothing. I can save them."

"And just you?"

"I was undercover with this group before. My cover is still open. I can go back under quickly, and we only have a week to save them." Ty hoped that Carter was not overhearing this conversation. It was against the rules to share any details with anyone outside of the team about the mission, unless Carter was the one sharing the details.

"And what am I suppose to do? Remember my cousins wedding? Or the dinner party we are throwing?"

"I should be back in time for the wedding, but I'm sorry can we reschedule the dinner party?"

"No Ty I cannot call my family and our friends a day before the dinner party and tell them we cannot have them over. It's not right. I'll just go ahead with it."

"I'm sorry."

"Just be safe." Melissa said walking away from Ty leaving him standing in the living room. She went to the bedroom closing the door.

Ty walked down the hallway knocking on the door to the guest bedroom. He assumed Carter was asleep and that was why the door was closed. He needed to talk to him before he took off.

Carter had been awake and was trying to find the right time to excuse himself and return to the safe house. When Ty knocked Carter called out, "It's open."

"Hey." Ty said walking into the room. "Shouldn't you be resting not pacing. I have some clothes and your laptop here."

"Good, can you carry them out to the car."

"Why?" Ty asked.

"Because you are giving m a ride back to the safe house."

"Carter don't be stupid. You need to take time to recover."

"I can do it at the safe house." Carter said not backing down.

"And who is going to keep an eye on you? You can barely move without wincing, and there is no way you can redress your wounds yourself."

"I can get Jamie to do it. She'll be there."

"Great idea, have her worrying about you and Dean at the same time while trying to sit back and help coordinate an undercover operation. Her first time doing it alone. Great idea, it'll help her to have to multitask like that."

"I can't stay here."

Melissa heard the two men yelling and she walked to the room to find out why. She heard Carter say he couldn't remain in the house.

"Carter please stay." Melissa said shocking both men by showing up in the doorway. Neither of them heard her walk up on them.

"It's fine. I can take care of myself." Carter said wavering slightly under Melissa's glare.

"Before or after you injure yourself further? Or put your team in danger by not being at your best because you returned to work too soon not giving your body time to recover? "

"It'll be fine." Carter tried.

"NO it won't you can barely stay awake more then a few hours at a time. You do not need to be recovering sleeping on a couch. Stay here, if anything I'll feel safer. I always am scared when Ty's gone. Alone in the house. And you can help me by being here. It'll also help to know what is going on and you can at least let me know he is doing ok. So please stay."

Carter backed down he wanted to leave, but Melissa was a force to be reckoned with and she had some valid points about endangering his team. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. Ty leave the man alone so he can get some rest." Melissa left the room leaving the two men to themselves.

"She's one persuasive tough woman." Ty said smiling at Carter, "And that is why I love her."

"Be careful Ty." Carter said sitting down on the bed.

"Will do boss." Ty left the room going to pack for the next week that he would be gone.

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"Do you think they know anything?" Jamie asked Dean resting on the couch next to him.

"No. Carter suspects, and warned me away, but he isn't sure."

"How do you know?"

"Because if Carter knew he would never allowed us both to remain on this team."

"He seriously would get rid of us for hooking up?"

"Yes." Dean answered.

The conversation ended when Ty walked into the room. "Welcome back from vacation." Ty said sarcastically dropping his duffle bag on the floor.

"What did you do the past couple of weeks?" Jamie asked.

"Played home wife." Ty said smiling, "But it was nice to spend time with Melissa."

"And suck up to the boss." Dean said smiling at Ty.

"Hey you would have done the same."

"Yeah but Carter never would have accepted my offer. He's seen my place, and tried to force a cleaning lady on me."

Ty laughed at Dean. "What about you Dean, how was the family?"

"Same old family. My dad still the most boring person on Earth. Try to get me to play golf."

"What about you Jamie?" Ty asked.

"Nothing. Hung out around the house. Went on a little trip. No where special."

"Can we concluded what I did on my summer vacation discussion now?" Dean asked, "We do have work to get done."

"We are just waiting on the car the Captain promised us, with a trunk full of merchandise." Ty said explaining why they were wasting time on small talk. It was something they rarely did because they usually didn't have time. However, since Ty already had all the documents he needed for his cover, and it did not take long to fabricate documents for Dean they had time to kill.

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Carter was laying on the bed on his back, his laptop open next to him. Unable to focus on work, he started the video up again. The video that on some nights was a comfort, a memory of long ago when he was happy. But on most nights, the video was a reminder of the sadness that overtook him. Seeing all that he had lost leaving him with nothing more to lose, it was like a demon haunting him. He never ran from this demon though because despite the time that has passed he still missed her every second of every day, and still loved her.

Watching the video he tonight he needed to see the only woman he had ever loved. Being around Ty and Melissa, reminded him of her. It made his chest ache more than usual. Missing what he once had, the good thing, the one great thing he had done in his life. The thing he lost, and he needed to act like he still had that piece. Because he has been losing more and more pieces of himself ever since the chunk she took when she died.

Watching the video, he put it on loop so he could watching again and again without having to move. He had the volume on low so as to not disturb Melissa with the video. Closing his eyes, he let her voice soothe him. It was almost as if she was there with him. He could smell her and almost feel her. He fell asleep to her voice, her laugh, all of them giving him comfort that he needed to drift off.

Melissa went to check the doors and windows like she always did when Ty left. She was not lying when she told Carter that she did not feel safe when Ty was gone. As she was walking back to her room she heard a woman's voice filter through the door of the guest room. Knocking softly she opened the door finding Carter asleep on top of the covers. She frowned, he never seemed to find his way under the covers. She grabbed a throw out of the closet covering him. She watched the movie play on his laptop. It was a younger, less haggard Carter, and a beautiful brunette woman. They were laughing and playing around. She wondered if this was the wife he mentioned, it had to be. She watched them seeing a different side of Carter. It became very clear that she nor anyone else knew very much about the man that was sleeping in her guest bedroom.

Leaving the movie playing she closed the door behind her letting Carter rest. Returning to her own room she grabbed the picture of her and Ty at their wedding. She smiled at the memory of that day. It was one of the happiest days of her life. Despite the strain she and Ty had in their relationship recently, she still knew that marrying Ty was the right thing to do.

Turning the bedside lamp off, she went to sleep playing her wedding day over in her mind.

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	9. Chapter 9

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Again if anyone has a title happy to hear about it, thanks for the recs so far thinking on them

Longer update, but don't expect too many of these, class's start and I have to prep for them.

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Carter woke up in a cold sweat looking around it took him a minute to realize that he was in Ty's guest bedroom. Something was nagging him as his heart rate accelerated. Why did they take the guys family? How could they? If the guy was in protective custody then his family should have been.

Grabbing for his cell phone on the nightstand, Carter ignored the aching pain his arm and side from the sudden movements. Dialing Maynard's cell phone Carter cursed himself for not figuring this out before. Why hadn't Dean or Ty thought of it? Dean was the cowboy who was probably eager to get back to work. Ty, Carter justified, was probably too worried about his own problems, as he had been for awhile. Distracted enough to miss a glaring detail that was never answered, how did this happen.

"Maynard." Maynard's sleepy voice came over.

"How was the family kidnapped?"

"What do you mean?" the Captain asked sitting up in bed hoping he wouldn't wake his wife. Looking at the bedside table, the alarm clock showed in big red numbers that it was 4 in the morning.

"They were in protective custody right?"

"Yeah. The group was able to find out what hotel the feds had the family in. They injured both guards."

"But how did they find out where the family was being held?"

"They are investigating that now."

"it's an inside job. Do they know you sent a team in undercover?" Carter said sure it had to be an inside job. It was the only way the location could have been leaked. Someone was working with the Patriots.

"No. They asked for our help and I told them you were out of commission."

"Are you sure they wouldn't know you sent a team in?" Carter asked one more time. It was the worst possible situation for someone to go undercover with the same identity only to have the identity blown before they reintegrated themselves with the target.

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Ty knocked on the door of his contacts apartment. Dean stood next to him, out of view of the peep hole.

"Who is it?"

"It's Ty, Rick open the damn door." Ty said smiling.

"I don't know a Ty."

"Sure you don't asshole. Open the door is this how you welcome a friend."

Rick opened the door and saw Ty and Dean standing in the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"I just got out." Ty said, "finally got to make my way back here."

"Who is he?" Rick asked looking at Dean.

"A friend he's cool. We were in the service together. Same squad and all. He gave me a ride back."

"What happened to you after the trial?"

"Man they had some old charges on me. I got moved back to face those cases. And it was decided that I would best serve my time in Florida. Fucking hate Florida."

"And you got out?"

"yeah they couldn't keep me forever. I got a good lawyer who got my sentenced reduced because of some mistake the cops made."

"Come in." Rick said deciding that discussing business in the hallway wasn't the best idea.

Dean and Ty walked into the small apartment taking a seat on the small couch.

"Hey man do you have any beer? I haven't had a cold one in a long time." Ty asked Rick.

"Sure." Rick walked into the kitchen grabbing a beer. He wasn't sure if he could trust Ty yet. But he owed Ty. Ty took a fall for him on the case. Rick was suppose to be at the meet not Ty. But Rick had gotten food poisoning right before the deal was suppose to go down. Ty went for him, and was the one who took the fall.

"So what are you doing here?" Rick asked handing Ty and Dean a beer.

"Looking for some work." Ty said, " I just got out and I got nothing man. No one left to work with. Seems like everyone got busted. I was hoping that you and the crew might have some space for myself and Dean."

"You know we don't like new faces."

"Dean's a good guy. The best. I trust him with my life. Did over in the first Gulf War. The idiot saved my life a few times."

"What does Dean do?" Rick asked looking over the man sitting next to Ty.

"I'm an explosives expert and can fix any gun you need fixed. I also have some medical training." Dean answered.

"Do you agree with our ideology?"

"Of course I do or I wouldn't be here. When Ty told me about you guys I knew I belonged here. That's why I gave the sorry bastard a ride all the way here." Dean answered smiling, "Someone has to help take this country back from the socialist before we turn into USSR. They might have won the cold war after all, if we don't do anything. And don't get me going on the current military leaders. A bunch of pussies."

Rick smiled at the younger mans rant. "I'll see what I can do. I need Dean's full name."

"What for?" Dean asked.

"Background check. Ty I'll also need to know what prison you were in."

"sure no problem. I was in administrative segregation from day one. I was too dangerous for general pop. But there are a few people who will vouch for me." Ty wrote the prison information down as well as Deans full name.

"You got a place to stay?" Rick asked taking the paper from Ty.

"Yeah we had enough money for a hotel room."

"Write that information down too."

"no problem." Ty gave him the information.

"shouldn't be but a day or two. I'll go give the boss the information."

"Who is running things now?" T y asked.

"Sanchez."

"really."

"Buddy got killed. Bastard blew himself up trying to make homemade C4."

Ty and Rick both laughed, Dean joined in shortly after the two started.

"Looks like you all might need my man Dean after all."

"Looks like it if he can do what he says he can." Rick turned, "You can stay here as long as need be. I have to get to work." Rick said leaving the room to go change. As far as Rick was concerned now, he could trust Ty and if Dean was Ty's friend then he could trust him too. It was up to Sanchez if they could be trusted enough to join the Patriots.

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Carter's next call was to Jamie she was awake thankfully.

"Jamie I need you to run down information on the guards that were injured during the kidnapping. Background information, bank accounts, anything and everything. If you need help contact Maynard he'll get you a tech person. I think Gina is available again." Carter said.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Something isn't right. It was all too easy for them to kidnap the guys family."

"I'll get on it. Anything else?"

"Not right now." Carter answered.

They both hung up and Jamie started working on tracking down information. Maynard had already contacted Gina about helping out with the search. Jamie was well into the search, putting her own problems on hold, when Gina showed up and introduced herself.

"How long have you worked with Carter?" Jamie asked Gina as they were both typing away searing for more information.

"Off and on since he started doing the undercover work."

"was he always like this?"

"You mean dedicated to the point that he works himself into the ground trying to get the bad guy."

"Yeah."

"Ever since I knew him. But a few people I've run into worked with him before, well before his wife died, and they all say he was a good cop and a great guy. Not as hardcore back then as he is now."

"he was married?"

"I guess. I don't know much about him before now. Just some stuff I heard from some of the guys."

Jamie thought about the information she had gained from Gina. Carter was married, and his wife had died. That would explain why he lived for the job, there was nothing else to live for. But it did not help her in deciding if he would be ok with her and Dean's relationship? Things took off during the break from work. She couldn't block out the thoughts of how they had finally decided that they were going to give it a try.

After Dean left her apartment upset, it took her only about thirty minutes to realize she had been stupid. There was nothing for her to do for the next few weeks, and she was interested in where Dean came from. Maybe even see what a real family looked like. So she rushed over to his apartment bag packed for a week.

Dean had been surprised when she opened the door. She knew it by the look on his face, which was quickly followed by a smirk when he saw she had a duffle bag in one hand.

"Change your mind?" Dean asked.

"I can always use some practice on my undercover work. What better then a nice safe environment like your family? "

"And you want to know where I came from."

"there's that too." Jamie admitted.

"You are in luck I was just getting ready to leave." Dean said walking over to the couch to grab his own duffle bag.

"How do you want to play this?" Jamie asked.

"What do you mean?" Dean asked honestly not sure what she meant.

"Are we friends or are we dating?"

Dean laughed, the loaded question was back again. Friends meant he was not interested anymore, dating meant they probably would be more then friends. "You know Carter will kill us if he finds out? He's probably kick both of us off the team."

"I know. And it's a chance I'm willing to take if you are. But we can't let this interfere with work. No one can know, which means no more making out on the job unless it's part of a cover."

"Fair enough." Dean said accepting her offer and giving into her finally.

"So does that mean I'm going in as your girlfriend?"

"Yeah." Dean said pulling her to him, kissing her deeply.

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After Rick left Ty and Dean looked around a bit, finding nothing interesting the two men returned to the shared hotel room.

"This sucks." Ty said sitting on one of the two beds in the hotel room.

"Why because you don't get to be with Melissa?"

"No because this place is a dump. I always get stuck in the dumps. There are cockroaches in the bathroom."

"it's homey." Dean laughed sitting down. "It won't be long anyways."

"I hope."

"Afraid Carter is going to steal your woman away."

"No." Ty said honestly.

"How is he doing anyways?" Dean asked.

"He's fine. Quiet and a little different than he is at work." Ty paused not sure if he should tell Dean or not, "did you know he was married?"

"no. he never mentioned it to me." Dean answered. "Why did he tell you?"

"He didn't mean to. Melissa was trying to get to him and she asked him. He told her he was married and his wife died."

"Wow." Dean was leaning against the headboard, "That explains a lot."

"Yeah. I think I saw a picture of his wife on his laptop."

"Possible." Dean said, "I've caught him a few times watching a video, but he always turns it off before I got to see it."

"Wanna watch some TV on our nice bolted to the table TV?" Ty said changing the subject they really should be focused on the mission. Any slip could be disastrous better to stay undercover the entire time.

"fine with me. I just hope the pizza gets here soon enough." Dean noted the change and decided to leave it.

The two men watched TV and ate pizza the rest of the night both of them enjoying the calm before the storm. They knew starting the next morning it would either be the beginning of their mission or the end of their life. The work they did before they went undercover would decided which fate awaited them.

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Carter was unable to get back to sleep after his phone calls with Maynard and Jamie. Unable to rest, and unable to turn his mind off he decided it was better to find something else to do. It was time to get back on his feet and force his body to recover so he would not have to sit at the sidelines anymore. Walking out into the kitchen he got a cup of water, taking his pills, and drinking the water he looked outside. The sun was just starting to come out. It was a beautiful site to take it, something he usually allowed himself since he was usually awake at sunrise.

It was a start of a new day, new troubles to come and add to the old troubles. Another day without his wife, and even though it was a long time since she had been alive it still hurt. Shaking those thoughts from his mind he was not sure what to do, but he needed to do something. When he heard an alarm clock go off down the hallway he knew what he could do. Opening the fridge he found the ingredients he needed. Looking around the kitchen revealed a well stock kitchen. Potts and pans, and a variety of ingredients and spices, more than a typical kitchen would hold.

Melissa quickly showered after turning her alarm clock. When she exited the shower she could smell eggs and bacon being cooked. She smiled, it had to be Ty doing it. Quickly drying off she dressed and walked down the hallway expecting to find Ty cooking a meal for her.

Instead, she saw Carter standing over the oven flipping an omelet.

"Good morning." She said smiling at him. She walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I hope it's ok. But I was bored so I thought I'd cook."

"Sure it's no problem." Melissa said pleasantly surprised. Ty was far from a good cook, but she never told him that. But whatever Carter was cooking smelled delicious. "You know how to cook?"

"Yeah. I actually was a line cook before I became a cop."

"Really?"

"Paid the bills while I was in college."

"Where did you go to college?"

"UCLA." Carter answered.

"What did you go to school for?"

"Criminology. How about you?"

"Photography and design." She answered. Remembering the dinner party later she said, "I have some friends and family coming over tonight for a dinner party. I have room for one more. Would you join us?"

"If you don't mind." Carter said feeling uncomfortable. It had been a long time since he had been in that type of environment when he wasn't undercover.

"Not at all. I am going to the market later to pick up some stuff I need. Would you like to come?"

"That would be nice." Carter answered wincing when he moved wrong.

"Great. We'll eat, change your bandages and then go to the market." Melissa said as Carter placed a plate of food before her.

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Jamie was in the kitchen of the safe house eating one of Carters fruit cups, when she heard Gina call out to her.

"I got something." Gina called.

Jamie walked into the work area, "What's up?"

"Well it wasn't any of the agents that called any known or possible contacts with the Patriots."

"I assume this means you know who?"

"Not yet. But all of the numbers called by the agents over the past few days I've run down and came up with nothing. It would be helpful if we had a number to track to anyone associated with the Patriots. However, there was a call made from the hotel room to an associate of the patriots, a William Schwarz. He worked with a Marcus Sanchez, who is now believed to be the head commander of the Patriots."

"From the hotel room?"

"The main bedroom to be exact." Gina said.

"So it could have been one of the agents?"

"Wrong hotel room."

"What?" Jamie was confused.

"They are keeping the informant in a different hotel."

"Don't they usually try to keep the informant with their family to make them happier and more cooperative."

"typically, but sometimes for whatever reason they don't. One reason could be that it is deemed too dangerous to have the entire family in one spot, especially for groups who don't just kill the informant but the family as well. Or the informant can choose to not have their family with them." Gina answered.

"Do we know what the case is here?" Jamie asked, then she answered her own question a second later, "The patriots don't kill innocent people, well not the family members. Awhile back there was a person who was working against them, not someone in their group, but someone helping them. They were going to turn evidence against them. Before he got a chance to give his full story the Patriots killed him in his own backyard. The family was there too and they didn't kill them. Didn't even touch them. Actually had the wife take the kids inside before they killed her husband."

"So we can assume the FBI was not the cause of the separation."

"No." Jamie said, "How long would it take for you to run down the agents on the husband?"

"Not too long."

"let me know what you find. I'll start working on the husband."

Jamie walked away, dialing Carter's cell phone.

On the sixth ring he finally answered, "Carter."

Jamie heard noise in the background, sounded like running water, "Where are you?"

"in the shower what do you have?" carter asked, one hand holding onto the towel rack to keep himself upright. He was in pain from rushing to grab the phone. He jarred his ribs, and the wound on his abdomen.

"Gina tracked down all the numbers called by the agents who were guarding the family. Home phones, cell phones, and work phones, nothing came up. But we thought it was strange that the FBI kept the informant away from his family. The Patriots aren't known for killing the family, as well as the informant. There are cases in the past were they actually had the family leave before they killed an informant."

"So the informant requested his family be held in a separate place."

"yes. There was also a phone call made from the informants hotel room, the main bedroom to be exact."

"Do we know who made the call?"

"No Gina is working on that now."

"Let me know when you have something." Carter said resisting the urge to rush into work, but there was nothing he could do. Gina was the best at the computer work, and Jamie would keep him informed.

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Dean answered the knock at the door of their hotel room. Ty was in the shower at the moment. The guy from earlier Rick and another guy were at the door. Dean stepped aside to let them in looking outside to see if there was anyone else.

"It all checked out." Rick said leaning against the wall.

"Ok." Dean said looking at them. They didn't look happy.

"But Sanchez isn't ready to bring someone new in just yet. He doesn't trust you." The new guy said looking at Dean. "He has a task he wants you to complete, something to help gain his trust."

"What's that?" Dean asked.

"We are a little short on funds since our banker has been away on vacation." The new guy continued, "We have some product to be sold, that will help replenish the funds. But the problem is that we cannot move it right now. The feds are watching us closely. So we want you and Ty to take the product to the people we supply and collect the money for us."

"Is that all?" Dean said surprised it was an easy task.

"no. we also need a explosive device made. Rick can give you more information on it. But we need it by tonight."

"What for?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Just trying to figure out what I'll need to make it." Dean said.

"Rick will give you that information and he has the supplies as well. He'll take you to a warehouse where you can build it."

"Fair enough anything else?"

"no."

Ty walked into the room dressed. "What's up?"

"They don't trust me. So they want us to do a few things for them." Dean said not taking his eyes off the new guy.

"Like what?" Ty said showing that he was upset.

"Run some drugs for them, and build a bomb." Dean said as if it were nothing.

"You know this is some bullshit." Ty snapped, "I did time for you and when I come back you don't trust me."

Rick jumped in, "Ty it's not you we don't trust. It's your boy. Sanchez doesn't feel comfortable with new faces."

"You are right he is my boy and I thought my word might mean something since I did time for you. But I see all your talk about brotherhood is shit."

"don't go there." The new guy snapped.

"Ty relax." Dean said, "We'll do the damn job it's nothing man. Really."

"Just some bullshit." Ty said shaking his head.

"Then it's settled?" Rick asked.

"Yeah." Ty said still angry.

"Good." The new guy stated, "Rick why don't you take Dean here to the warehouse and help him. They can run the drugs later when he's done with the bomb."

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	10. Chapter 10

Don't own the characters

A/N: Thanks for the reviews.

Sorry short update, but class and work are winning out over this. I am probably going to have to move to a once a week update now that I'm back to school and tutoring/teaching classes ect. Hope you enjoy as always let me know what you think good or bad doesn't matter.

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"Ok I should warn you one of my friends really likes cops." Melissa said watching Carter as he cut up an onion.

"Ok." He said clearly confused.

"You don't understand the minute she finds out you are a cop she will start flirting with you. She has a thing for them."

Carter laughed, "Anything else?"

"My dad will try to debate the law with you." Melissa said remembering how Ty had been sucked into a debate once. It was one of the worst dinner parties they had ever attended. "And my another one of my friends hates cops. She's a criminologist and is not a fan of police at all."

The doorbell rang, and Melissa rushed off to answer it. It was probably one of her friends who had offered to show up early to help out.

Carter got his game face on, it was time to prepare for the mission, going under as a family friend. How hard could it be? He looked people in the eye and lied to them while they held a gun to his head. A dinner party should be a cakewalk.

Melissa and another female voice filtered through the house as they talked and laughed about something. Carter was dumping the onion into a pan when the two women emerged in the doorway.

"Jade this is Carter. He works with Ty, well actually he's Ty's boss so be nice." Melissa said smiling, "Carter this is my friend Jade. We were college roommates."

"nice to meet you." Carter said.

"Likewise. So you are a cop?" Jade asked.

"Yes." Carter said noticing the disdain in her voice. It was hidden, but still noticeable. So this was the friend who hated cops.

"Jade I told you to be nice." Melissa jumped in, "Carter you will have to excuse her. She's not a big fan of cops."

"Why's that?" Carter asked, his game face on.

"I'm a Criminologist. And the more I study cops the more I realize there is a very thin line that is blurry between cops and crooks. "

"For some cops that is true. But not all." Carter shot back.

Jade smiled at him, she was actually happy to see him not get angry or back down, he just took it and gave it back to her. "So what type of cop are you?"

"I try to be the good guy." Carter said, "But like you said the line is blurry at best."

"What type of work do you do?"

"I sit behind a desk a lot and do paper work." Carter lied noticing a look from Melissa which confirmed something he had already believed to be true. Ty shared a lot of information about the job with Melissa. Carter could not blame him, it was part of being married, being open with the other person, but it also put the team in danger.

"So you are a paper pusher."

"In a sense yes."

"Funny that you got injured those are some nasty paper cuts."

"Copier machine shot paper out at me." Carter joked back.

Jade laughed, a true laugh, "Fair enough I'll back down."

"What about you? Is it true those who can't do teach?" Carter asked in a joking tone, in now way did he mean it offensive.

"Yeah you got me. I couldn't hack it so I thought I'd start teaching." Jade answered back sarcastically.

"What are your research interest?"

"Crime trends, international and United States. I'm currently working on…"

Melissa interrupted, "Oh here we go. Carter you are in for it she will not stop talking about research the rest of the night. S he gets so bad that sometimes she starts to cite people while she's talking."

"Do not!" Jade said.

"You do too. Carter just the other day I asked a simple question about whether crime was on the rise or not, and I swear to you she answered, According to Messner and Rosenfeld 2006, crime in the United States has been in a steady decline. The recent UCR June 2009 shows another increase in crime. So in a nutshell crime was declining but now it appears to be rising again in the United States."

Carter laughed, he remembered the days in undergrad having to cite in paper, and the interesting conversations with fellow students.

"Fine I won't tell him about the study ok!" Jade laughed. She was standing next to Carter now.

"Maybe later. " Carter smiled. He liked her she was an interesting person. Someone he wouldn't mind talking to, but he was not sure he could. At best he was uncomfortable around people now. It was difficult to connect with anyone.

"Don't bate her like that Carter. She'll take you up on your offer and the next thing you know Jade will be asking you your opinion on whether or not sex should be defined based on chromosomal makeup or appearance."

Carter laughed, "Interesting idea should sex have to be operationally defined."

"My thoughts exactly." Jade smiled at him, she liked him at least for a cop she liked him.

Melissa smiled at the two they were getting along, that was a big step she thought. Considering Jade barely could stand Ty, and yet she seemed to warm up to the prince of darkness. The next hour passed with Jade and Carter talking about anything and everything from travel to the merits of community policing. By the time the other guest stated to arrive Melissa was happy to have someone there to talk to because her best friend was currently occupied debating with Carter.

Her mom and dad were the first to arrive, followed by her friend who would probably hit on Carter, and the last group to arrive were a few more of her friends. Once everyone was in they all sat at the table. Melissa had introduced Carter to everyone as they arrived, but she couldn't help but notice that Jade and Carter stuck together continuing whatever debate they were in.

She had noticed at time Carter looked uncomfortable. She wondered how often he allowed himself to just relax and hang out. From what Ty had told her, it was rarely. The knowledge of Carter she had was that the man almost never slept, worked 24/7, and then what she had learned recently. She called him the prince of darkness because that was what he was to her. The man that took her husband away from her and who never slept.

When it came time to sit down and eat Carter was surrounded by Jade and Amy, the friend who really liked cops. Amy had tried in vain to get Carters attention a few times throughout the dinner, but mostly Jade kept his attention. Jade was busy explaining her current research study, which Carter appeared to be actively listening and interested in. Melissa wondered if it was him putting on a mask, a cover for him.

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Dean worked in the warehouse using the materials offered to him. He was not sure how successful he wanted to be. Not knowing the target worried him. This was one of the grey areas of undercover work. Was he crossing a line that could not be stepped back over? Not turning to the other side, but helping the other side in a way that was morally wrong and would ultimately be more harmful than helpful? He kept attempting to get information from the man with him about what the target was. Attempting under the guise of making sure there would be enough firepower to blow up whatever they wanted. By the looks of what he had it was something small not a building.

"Are you almost finished?" The man asked watching Dean as he worked.

"Yeah, damn give me a minute and back up you are making me nervous hovering like that." Dean said attaching the last few wires to the small amount of C4.

"Done." Dean said standing up and stretching. "Anything else?"

"Let's see if it works."

"Where?"

"Right here right now."

"ok." Dean said looking around the warehouse, there was enough C4 to blow a whole in the wall but not bring the building down.

A man walked into the room from the backdoor. "Ready yet?"

"Yeah." The new guy, who Dean learned was, Ryan said handing the mysterious man the bomb.

"How does it work?"

Dean explained how all the man had to do was press a button on the detantor and it would explode the bomb.

"Good" The man put the explosive in a briefcase and walked off.

"Where is he going?" D ean asked.

"You ask a lot of questions." Ryan said studying Dean.

"Just trying to figure out if I need to duck for cover."

"Don't worry about it. Come on you and your friend have one more job."

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The final person to leave the dinner party was Jade. She and Carter separated after most of the guest had left. Carter went to go rest, or so he said, and jade helped Melissa clean up the mess from the dinner party.

While in the kitchen Melissa began to talk to Jade in a low voice hoping Carter would not hear them, "You like him don't you?"

"No. You know I hate cops." Jade dismissed her.

"Is that why you two were inseparable the entire evening?"

"It was nice to talk shop instead of law with your dad."

"Sure. If that's what you need to believe, but you had his attention the entire night, even before everyone else showed up."

"What about Amy? She had his attention."

"For a total of ten minutes before he politely returned to talking to you."

"What's his story anyways?"

"Is this out of interest because you like him or just curious?"

"Just curious I don't like him."

Melissa smiled, she knew her friend well enough to know she liked Carter. "He's damaged goods anyways." Melissa began to explain, "His wife died. I don't know how but he's still hung up on her. He has videos of her on his laptop." Melissa was not smiling anymore as she explained to her friend, "He's a wreck from what I can tell. Ty tells me the man never sleeps. He is constantly working. He's a nice guy don't get me wrong. He's been nothing but politely while here, but there is something there. That's all I really know."

"So what you are saying is while you are tormenting because you think I like him, that I should stay far far away from him even if I did like him, and I'm not saying I do, but if I did I should run away now."

'Yeah pretty much. " Melissa laughed taking a sip from her wine glass.

"Fair enough. I'm just interested in him as a person. And he would be a good source for a study. No one has conducted research on undercover cops. It's so hard to tap into that population, and here I have one, a deep cover one to boot. That would get me published and probably get me tenure." Jade said smiling as she thought about reaching her ultimate goal.

"Quit dreaming never going to happen. Ty is not even suppose to talk to me about what he does. Let alone a researcher!"


	11. Chapter 11

Don't own the characters.

A/N: An early update (possibly more in near future but it's a might be possible)

**Thanks for the reviews and feedback it helps me figure out what to do next! **

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Carter had been in the guest bedroom and could not really hear what the two women were discussing. However, he was busy trying to get a hold of Jamie to get an update on what was happening.

"Carter I told you I would call you if we found anything." Jamie said worried about her boss who should be resting.

"I want to know what's going on now." Carter said relaxing on the bed, the pain was becoming less intense when he moved wrong.

"We still have not found anything. Gina is almost done running down the final phone calls on the agents phones who are protecting the informant. Ty nor Dean have checked in yet, but we expected it would be a day at least before they could risk making a call to us."

"Tell Gina to hurry up we don't know what the two walked into if we do not know who is feeding the Patriots information." Carter snapped, not mad at Jamie or Gina, but annoyed that he was out of play. He was useless sitting in the guest bedroom of Ty's house.

A knock on the door stopped him from saying anything more.

"Jamie call me the minute Gina know something or someone checks in." Carter said hanging up the phone.

Jade was smiling in the doorway, "Aren't you suppose to be recovering?"

"I am. I'm not in the office right now. Close as I can get without going insane."

"I understand. Over summer break if I'm not teaching a class I'm still at work all the time working on papers for publication." Jade said.

"Did you need something?" Carter asked, he thought to himself smooth move. Really nice way to dismiss her.

"Just wanted to say goodbye and thanks for listening to me most of the night. It was nice to have something to talk about that I know about. "

"No thank you for saving me. I was out of place."

"I hope to see you at more of their parties. Usually they are dreadfully boring." Jade said waving goodbye as she walked out the door.

A few minutes later Carter heard a car start and take off outside. He doubted he would see her ever again. His job and his life was much better if he was alone. The only thing he would bring her was pain. Pain was something he knew about, not physical but mental pain and he didn't want to be the cause of anymore pain to anyone. That was why he choose to live alone and give himself to the job.

"Time to change your bandages." Melissa said surprising Carter who had been looking at the window. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you." Melissa smiled, and wondered what Carter was thinking about. He looked tortured his blue eyes full of longing and sadness, both competing to be the dominate emotion.

Carter smiled, "It's ok I was thinking about work."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yeah." Carter said knowing it was a lie. Chances were that things would go wrong very quickly.

"You do not know how much it means to hear you say that. I always worry about Ty when he goes under. To have you here to tell me about things, it helps a bit."

"Ty's good at what he does." Carter attempted to assuage her fears.

"But being good cannot control for things that can go wrong. Carter I know the dangers of the job, without even knowing much about it. Just like everything in life you can try to plan for anything that could go wrong, but something is going to take you by surprise no matter how much planning you put into it."

--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------

Dean and Ty were in the car provided by the Patriots driving to a destination they had been given. A black bag was in the backseat full of product. Dean was carefully driving not wanting to cause a random police officer to pull them over for a traffic violation.

"I am going to call a friend." Ty said in case the car was bugged. Dialing the safe house number he waited for an answer.

"Hello." Jamie answered the phone.

"Hey girl. How have you been?"

"When did you get out?" Jamie said playing off a script she had memorized.

"Awhile back. I'm in town trying to find some work, but I thought I would check in. Things going good?"

"Yeah all is good here. How about you?"

"I'll be good soon. Like I said I'm trying to find work and it's difficult right now."

"I know with the recession and all. Plus all the dirty cops out there."

Ty perked up at this, this was not part of the script. What was Jamie trying to tell him? Dirty cops, were dirty cops involved?

"I'll call you back later I got some business to take care of."

"Ok be careful." Jamie said hanging up the phone hoping that Ty picked up on what she was trying to get across.

"What was that about?" Dean asked looking at Ty.

"Nothing." Ty answered, but they both knew something was going on.

Reaching their destination Dean and Ty walked up to the house and knocked on the door. A woman answered, they could hear kids screaming in the background.

"Is Paul here?"

"Paul you have company." The woman said closing the door in the two men's face.

"I guess he'll be out soon." Dean said looking around. He did not like the idea of leaving drugs with a house full of kids. But that was not his choice.

A man with red hair came outside a few minutes later, "Finally took you all long enough."

"We got lost." Dean said lying. "You have the money?"

"Yeah." The kid said handing Dean a book bag.

"Where is the product?"

"In the car." Ty said taking the lead while Dean thumbed through the money.

The man looked in the bag and found the product. "Good. You all have a nice day. Good doing business with you."

"Yeah." Dean said now standing beside the car.

The two men got into the car and started to drive away when they heard an explosion in behind them. Dean stopped the car and both men looked back to find a small whole blown into the front of the house they had just left. Bit of the man they had just talked too decorated the front yard and nearby houses.

"Fuck!" Dean snapped angrily. He knew that was his explosive device. They guy with the briefcase must have put it in the bag before Ty and Dean had reached the place where they picked up the car and the drugs.

"Drive!" Ty said wanting to get out of there before police showed up.

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It was around 1 a.m. when Gina finally tracked down the last numbers of the agents who were protecting the informant. "They are all clean." Gina said confused by her findings. It had to be one of them that called, it made no sense. "The only thing is if they used a drop phone. Then we cannot find who made the call."

"What about the call from the hotel room?"

"No way to track down the person who made the call. We could narrow it down to who was on at the time, but all of them are clear. There haven't been any unexplained deposits in their bank accounts, no unknown numbers dialed, nothing." Gina said looking at Jamie both of them trying to figure out the next step.

"It has to be a drop phone and someone is covering their tracks."

"They are not covering their tracks they are erasing them somehow. Except for that call." Gina said, both of them hung up on the phone call. Why would someone who obvious covered their tracks so well screw up and make a phone call from a hotel room where the informant it. It didn't make sense.

Jamie called Carter despite the early hour.

Carter was in a deep sleep pain pills helped the sleeping process, even for the man who never slept the dose he was on and the activities of the day were enough to put him into a deep sleep. He heard a noise that filtered through into his dream. His wife was telling him about something, he wasn't focusing on what she was saying, just focusing on her and her beautiful face. A phone was ringing somewhere. After a few more rings he realized it was his phone, he was dreaming.

Groggily he answered, "Carter."

"It's Jamie. Gina tracked down the last few numbers and nothing came up." Jamie waited for his reply.

"What do you mean nothing came up?" Carter asked still waking up.

"We didn't find anything in the agents background that would suggest they are doing anything on the side. The only thing we have is the phone call." Jamie explained. "Their bank accounts are clean. Family members banks accounts everything."

"Well someone had to make that call." Carter said his voice stronger than before.

"I know. But why would they call from the hotel room? If they are covering their tracks this well, why make that mistake?"

Carter thought about it, the drugs made him a bit foggy so it was a slow process. "What about Ty and Dean?"

"They checked in. I told them that we might have a dirty agent."

"What did they say?"

"Nothing I'm not sure if Ty understood what I was insulating. He was still in his cover when he called."

"You need to be sure!" Carter snapped trying to keep his voice low, he did not want to wake up Melissa.

"He hung up not me." Jamie said in defense of herself.

"Let me know the minute they call back." Carter said wishing he could drive himself to the safe house, and he did not want to try to take a taxi there. This time of night he'd be lucky to get one to show up at the house let alone drive him to the safe house.

"I will." Jamie said hanging up the phone stewing over her conversation with Carter. Nothing she did was good enough for him. She was doing her best.

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They arrived back at the destination they had established before they left. Dean was pissed he went after Ryan. Ty grabbed Dean before he could do any damage pulling him back and restraining him.

"You asshole!" Dean snapped, "There were children in that house!"

"A moral explosives expert. Rare to come across them. Usually you guys just like to blow shit up."

"Not kids." Dean said struggling against TY.

"Don't worry the kids weren't hurt. Just the snitch."

"Why didn't you warn us?" Dean snapped.

"Because I didn't know if I could trust you. And now I'm not sure if you would have gone through with it like I planned. This way I know I can trust you for the most part, at least your skill, and worry about your moralistic tendencies later."

Turning his focus to Ty, "Can you get your friend under control?"

"Yeah just give us a minute." Ty said.

"Fair enough when you are ready meet us out back. Rick can show you around." Ryan said walking off into the back of the warehouse.

"Come on man." Ty said letting Dean go.

Dean closed his eyes trying to calm himself. "I'm fine." Dean said relaxing with each breath.

"Better." Ty said. While he understood Deans anger, he did not want to jeopardize the mission or their lives. The Patriots were no joke. They would kill them if they thought they were cops, or kill them if they thought they were not going to go with the plan.

Rick came into the room, "I'm sorry guys I had no idea Ryan was going to do that."

"It's fine now." Ty said speaking for both him and Dean. "You gonna show us around or what?"

"Sure." Rick answered leading them around the warehouse showing them the various areas that were open for them.

"What's through there?" Dean asked noticing what looked like an old deep freeze door that was chained closed.

"Nothing." Rick answered continuing the tour of the place. "Up here we have a few bunks for the guys who work overnight or for guys who have nowhere else to go. We have a few bunks open if you guys want to get out of the hotel."

"Sure. T hanks man. That'll help us a lot." Ty said trying not to smile at the fact that they were in now. The doors were opened they just had to keep their cool.

Dean couldn't help but think about the old deep freeze. Was there were they were keeping the woman and her children? He hoped not, even if it was no longer working there was probably mold growing on the inside, ventilation was questionable, and overall it was just not a great place to be. Not that being kidnapped was great, but hopefully they were at least somewhere else. But in his gut he knew his hope was wasted, there was a good chance the woman and her children were being held inside the deep freeze. Why else would it be locked and Rick would refuse to say what was inside?

"So what are you guys working on now? Or may I saw what are we going to be helping out with?"

"I think the old man wants Dean to continue working explosives. As for you I'm not sure. You guys keep doing what you are doing you'll probably meet him soon." Rick said using the unofficial title of respect used in the armed forces to refer to the highest ranking officer in charge, old man. It was a sign of respect only to be used when the old man was not around.

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Carter could not get back to sleep. He couldn't stop wondering about who made the call. He kept coming up with nothing. Even after he had Gina and Jamie email him all of their work, he still could not find anything they missed. It did not make sense, why would someone call from the hotel room? It was a red flag that even a beat cop would be able to find.

Then it dawned on him. There were other options! All of the hotel staff was not allowed into the room so it could not be them. If it wasn't one of the agents it just left one person.

Quickly he grabbed his cell phone off the night stand, not bothering with the light he quickly dialed Jamie's cell.

"Hello." A tired voice came through the line after a few rings.

"Was the informant arrested before he came forward?" Carter asked.

"I think so." Jamie said sitting up from the couch she had crashed on inside the safe house. She noticed it smelled of Carter.

"So he did not willingly come forward at first?"

"No he cut a deal with the FBI."

"What type of deal?"

"He gave up his contacts for immunity."

"Does the informant have any offshore accounts?"

"I think so." Jamie said looking around for Gina, then she remembered Gina went home for a few hours. "Give me a minute Gina went home to sleep. Like normal people do. Like you should be doing."

Carter smiled on his end, "Just get the information. I'm a big boy I'll be fine."

He heard Jamie typing in the background, "Yes he has a couple of Swiss accounts that the FBI couldn't freeze."

"Have they been accessed recently?"

"Not that I can tell."

Carter thought out it, he didn't necessarily have to access his accounts he could have planned for this way before.

"What are you thinking?" Jamie asked confused as to why Carter is asking about the informant.

"Does he have any military background?"

Jamie typed some more, "Yeah he was in the Marines. Logistics Officer."

Carter smiled, "He planned this."

"What do you mean?"

"See if he has any past connections with Sanchez or anyone known to be high in the Patriots ranks. "

It took Jamie a few more minutes to come across the information, "Yeah he served with a Ryan Anderson, who is believed to be Sanchezs second in command."

"He planned it. This is all planned."

"I don't understand." Jamie said confused as to why the informant would want his family kidnapped.

"They didn't kidnap the family. Not really." Carter said, "I bet his wife and children are sitting on some beach right now."

"Why would he go through all of that?"

"Because if it looks like the Patriots kill him they get to shove it in the governments face and he is a free man to live his life. He can access his banks account from anywhere in the world. His wife would become the person in charge of the accounts."

"So he planned this. But why not just kidnap him?"

"Because he's a family man. He wants his family with him. By having them all gone it gives them a clean break. He made the call. Told them where his family was, and is waiting for an exchange that will go wrong." Carter said. "that or he wants his family dead so he can make a clean break."

"Let's hope it's the first option." Jamie said. "Should I have Ty and Dean come back?"

"No let them play it out. Try to get them the information somehow. We might be able to take them all down." Carter said.

"Anything else?"

"No." Carter said hanging up. He still had it, even injured and drugged he still had it.

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	12. Chapter 12

Don't own the characters.

A/N: Sorry about the wait.

**Thanks for the reviews and feedback it helps me figure out what to do next! **

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Melissa awoke the next morning she had heard Carter pacing throughout the night. Walking down the hallway she found him sitting outside on the patio. The same spot she and Ty had been sitting the first time since she had married Ty that Carter had taken him away from her.

"You are up early." She said walking outside after setting the coffee pot to make coffee.

"yeah. Sorry did I wake you up?"

"No is everything ok?"

"Yeah everything is fine." Carter lied again, things were far from fine, but they would get there soon enough. He had faith in Ty and Deans ability the two would be able to handle the change in plans.

"Do you know how much longer Ty is going to be gone?"

"A few more days at least." Carter said wondering if he should take Maynard's advice and promote Ty or move Ty out of the unit. It was hard to look a spouse of a subordinate in the eye and lie to them. It was not like lying to the bad guys. This was harder because there was always the chance that he would be the one to tell her that her loved one would not be coming home ever again. Those speeches were the hardest to give. How did you tell someone that the person they loved is gone? He had that speech once, it was a horrible speech delivered by an intern at the hospital. Someone who had yet to know what it was to lose someone, your soul mate. He never wanted to give anyone that speech. He had to before, and he swore he would never do it again. Maybe it was time for Ty to move on.

"How did your wife take it? How did she deal with you leaving?"

Carter frowned, he did not want to discuss his wife. It caused a pain in his chest that was not caused by any real physical wounds. "I was not working undercover much when she was alive. I did a few missions, but mostly she did not see me because I worked all night."

"How did she deal with that?"

"I don't know. I was a lucky man. She understood for the most part." Carter said the sadness in the memories clear in his voice and in his crystal blue eyes.

"What happened to her? I hope you don't mind me asking."

"I would rather not talk about it." Was all Carter said.

"Fair enough." Melissa couldn't help but remember the video of a different Carter and the woman she assumed was his wife. They looked happy together, in love, like her and Ty. What would she do if Ty died? She didn't think she could go on living without him.

"That was a nice party you had last night." Carter said changing the subject for his own sake.

"It was. I think my father liked you." Melissa said thinking that Jade really liked him.

"He's a good man." Carter said because it was what the situation dictated and he also meant it. Her father was a good guy from what Carter could tell.

"Jade wanted to go out to dinner tonight if you were up to it? She tries to get me to go out when Ty's gone to get my mind off things."

"It's a good idea. But I might have to take a rain check." Carter reminded himself mentally that he needed to stay away from the ambitious professor. There was only trouble he could bring her. She would be better without him, and for him well that was the price he paid for the life he lived.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. I'll leave some take out numbers for you, or I could bring something back." Melissa knew Jade would be disappointed, her friend seemed to genuinely be interested in Carter, which was rare for her friend. Typically, Jade did not connect with people. It was the bullshit that came with social contract that got in the way, and Jade was all business. She had a plan for her life and she was doing what she could do to achieve that plan. Anything else was background noise.

Carter was getting ready to talk again when his phone went off, "Excuse me." He said slowly standing up answering the phone, "Carter."

"It's Jamie. They checked in and were able to talk. I filled Dean in on what is going on. He agrees with you. They both agreed it was best to stay under because there is something else going on."

"Good." Carter said looking through the sliding glass doors at Melissa who was watching him anxiously. He smiled at her trying to assuage her fears.

"Captain Maynard called to. He wanted an update. I told him what was happening. I also told him you had nothing to do with the case."

"Good keep him off my back."

"He asked about you, I think he might stop by Ty's to check in on you."

"How did he get Ty's address?"

"I gave it to him. He asked for it and he's the captain.."

"Damn it he shouldn't come over here." Carter said worried about Ty's cover. His unit was suppose to be deep undercover which meant no contact with police officials if it could be helped. "I need you to come pick me up." Carter said.

"Why?"

"I'll go into see him." Carter said.

"Ok. Are you sure?"

"yes. Be here in about twenty minutes."

"Sure." Jamie answered right before Carter hung up the phone.

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Dean became more curious about what was behind the door if the family was not the main target. The meth lab was in the warehouse, in the basement. They had seen it the day before when Rick was giving them a tour. The basement was properly ventilated so all of the fumes left the building and did not travel upwards. So what could be behind the door?

Ty was not as curious as Dean, but he was also too busy to be curious. He had been picked to train for a special mission. That was all he knew about it. Despite being busy he was able to think about Melissa and miss her, and he was worried about she and Carter were getting along. By now he was sure that Melissa had murdered Carter in his sleep.

Neither of them had much time to think about their own worries because they were busy helping keep the operation going. Each man proving himself each day with task ranging from driving people around to make drops, fixing guns, and helping in the shipping of products.

Dean saw his moment, he walked up to the door when no one was around and he was about to reach out and grab the door handle to open it when someone called to him, "Hey what are you doing?"

"nothing. Just curious what's behind the door."

"Nothin man don't worry about it. If Sanchez or anyone sees you around here they'll kill you for sure." Rick said smiling at Dean. "come on we are going on a beer run."

"Sure." Dean said leaving the door behind.

On the drive to the market Dean continued his line of questioning, "So what else do you all do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well there's the guns, the meth, and protection. What else?"

"That's about it. You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm a curious guy. I like to know what I'm getting into before it happens."

"Don't worry about it man." Rick said playing with the radio station. "Oh by the way tomorrow you are driving Sanchez around. He was impressed with how you dealt with the situation the other day with the pick up."

"I was just doing my job." Dean answered.

"Yeah most people who have shit themselves if three guys pulled guns on them and they were unarmed."

"You were there, you had a gun."

"Yeah but I can't shoot all three at once."

"no, but you could take out one of them while I took out the other two. You don't always need a gun." Dean smiled remembering the look on the two gun men's face when he took them down to the ground in two swift motions that left neither of them time to fire their gun. They gunmen were not willing to make payment on product that they had gotten on loan from the Patriots. Bad mistake because it ended in them paying more then what they would have had to pay if they had just given the money up to begin with. It also left one of the men severely injured, and possibly dead.

Ty was also making strides in the investigation. He was training with some of the guys. They had a set up like swat teams do, houses where they practice in. Ty was not sure what they had him training for, but something was going to go down soon. He was sure whatever went down was going to be big, big enough to keep him from worrying about going home just yet. And if he was honest part of him liked what he was doing. The excitement of the job always sucked him in. It took time, but eventually he realized how much he liked his job.

"Run it one more time. I want to have the place locked down in ten minutes tops." The leader of the team said from behind his mask.

Everyday was the same, the continued to run the simulation, no one sure when or where the mission would happen. Each man had his part, Ty was apart of the group that would secure the location, while the other group went in search of a target. What the target was, no one but that team knew. Person or thing, Ty was sure that nothing would stop the Patriots from getting what they wanted.

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After Carter got off the phone with Jamie he called Maynard. "What in the hell are you doing?" Carter snapped with the Captain answered the phone, forgetting respect for the moment.

"What do you mean?" Maynard answered noting the clear disrespect and anger in Carters voice. Something rarely pointed at Maynard.

"Working with my team, calling about where they live! They are undercover operatives. If anyone hears what you are talking about, or is following you, their blown! They wouldn't be able to work again."

"Relax Carter." Maynard said his voice holding a note of warning, he would not stand for this, "I'm not stupid I've been using a drop phone the entire time. No way to trace it back to me, and I have been careful about who sees me coming or going when I talk to Jamie or anyone. I also make sure they are covered when they come in."

"No more meetings. If you need something you can go through me. Like we always do."

"Carter you are on medical leave." Maynard reminded him, "You are not suppose to be working. You are suppose to be relaxing and letting yourself heal."

"I've done enough of that. I'll be at your office in an hour." Carter hung the phone up not giving Maynard and chance to argue with him.

It was another thirty minutes before Jamie showed up at Ty's front door. During that time it took Carter the entire thirty minutes to get dressed and put his shoes on. He found himself hissing in pain a few times, but ignoring the signs that he was not ready to go back to work, he opened the door when Jamie knocked.

"you're late."

"You look better." Jamie said ignoring Carters statement. She also noted the paleness of Carters face despite him looking a lot better than last she saw him. S he could tell by his eyes, the way the lines formed around them, and his pale color, that he was in pain.

"Thank you. Let's go."

"Yes boss." Jamie said leading the way to her car.

Carter was happy that she brought her car, even though it would hurt to lower himself into the seat, it would not be as bad as lifting himself into an SUV.

When they reached the station, Carter and Jamie both went up to see Maynard. Jamie wanted to make sure Carter got there, and that way she also could fill in both men with what she knew so far. Reaching his office they were let in right away to minimize their exposure.

"Coffee or water?" Maynard asked both of him.

By the time they reached the office Carter was tired, but he hid it, and he also hid his pain. He looked like he was almost in perfect health he was that good at acting like nothing was wrong.

"Water." Carter said.

"Nothing for me."

Maynard got a bottle of water for Carter and handed it to him. "So what is happening with the case?"

Jamie filled Maynard in on what she knew, both Dean and Ty were undercover attempting to strengthen their covers by gaining trust from people in the organization. The family was not kidnapped. Not the in the sense that they had originally believed. Chances were they were not in danger at all, and this all had been some rouse by the Patriots and the informant. The reason why they were not sure of yet. They were almost positive the phone call made was by the informant and that they Patriots would at some point grab him too. Since negotiations were continuing on the Patriots had no way of knowing that the police had figured out it was all a rouse. But it helped that no one outside of the unit knew about the rouse, other than Maynard. They all agreed to keep it that way until they figured out what the Patriots were up to.

"Sounds good to me. No reason you had to come Carter." Maynard said trying to make a point, "I want you to rest."

"I did." Carter said.

"Jamie will you excuse us." Maynard said .

"Sure I'll go wait out in the car."

"Thank you." Maynard answered. Once she was gone Maynard continued to talk to Carter, "I gave you this unit and the only promise I had you make was that you would not lose your mind in it. You lost everything else to the job it seems. You need to take time off and recover. They unit will still be there."

"I can't not when I have men out in the field."

"Everything is going fine."

"It may not stay that way. I need to be there. Once this is over I will take time off. Hell I'll even go on a vacation if it'll make you happy."

"A real vacation."

"Yes." Carter said, he had been interested in traveling to Africa for awhile, and since he knew he would need more time then he could physically stand, away from the job, the best option was to travel somewhere to take his mind away from the job.

"ok. It'll be two weeks at least!"

"And there will be no undercover operations during that time." Carter said, "The team will take vacation too."

"Fair enough." Maynard said happy they agreed, but he still wished he could convince Carter to not work now. But he knew that was hopeless, not while his people were in danger.

---------------------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------

Melissa returned home, Jade following her because they were going to have a movie night. It was Jades way of being there for Melissa, who she knew was worried sick about Ty and anxious about what to do with Carter. When they walked into the house they could tell it was empty. No sound came from any of the rooms.

"I wonder where Carter went." Melissa said setting her purse and coat on a chair. "What movie do you want to start with?"

"Whatever doesn't matter. I'm going to go make some popcorn."

They two ladies settled down on the couch and were watching Runaway Bride when Carter walked into the house. It was more of a limp then a walk. Jamie was behind him, she had eventually convinced him to go back to Ty's place to get some rest. He had worked nonstop since they reached the safe house. It was hours before he came up for air, forgetting to take his pain killers, he was in a lot of pain when he finally resurfaced.

"Where have you been?" Melissa asked sounding like a worried wife.

If Carter weren't in pain he would have laughed. "At work."

"Aren't you suppose to be resting?"

"I was."

"Oh that's why you look like death warmed over. Come sit down before you collapse." Melissa said getting up, "I'll go get your pills and something to take them with."

Jamie was getting ready to make her exit when Melissa turned to her, "You should have stopped him. You knew he was in no shape to be out."

"Have you ever tried stopping him from doing something?" Jamie said, "And besides he's a grown man."

Melissa realized what she was acting like and smiled sheepishly, "That he is. But men can be stupid sometimes. Thanks Jamie."

"See you all later." Jamie made her exit quickly.

"I sometimes wonder how Ty lives with her." Jade said, "She can take on a mother hen complex."

Carter just smiled at her resting his head back against the chair.

Melissa returned with a pill bottle she collected from the guest room Carter had been staying in, and she also had a bottle of water in her hand. "here."

"Thank you."

Melissa sat back down on the couch with Jade and they continued the movie. Both women would occasionally glance over at Carter, who eventually fell asleep in the chair, softly snoring. The trip and working had taken a lot out of him. He still was not recovered enough to be doing what he had done. He pushed his body too far, and it let him know.

He awoke as the credits began to roll and both women were sipping beer talking about various things.

"Look who's awake." Melissa said smiling. "Feel better?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"I'm going to go get some work done. Jade is going to stay tonight. She's had a bit too much to drink. So you two make yourself at home."

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He was not sure how he ended up sitting on Ty's patio with Jade, the woman who he could quite possibly date if he were dating material. They both had a beer in their hand and were reclining in chairs. At first, there was a comfortable silence between them, but eventually Carter broke the silence. His curiosity getting the best of him.

"Are you original from LA?"

"No. I moved out here after I got my Phd."

"So work brought you out here?"

"Sort of. I had my option of going anywhere to teach. But I always wanted to live near the ocean. I wanted to be able to get in my car and drive to it whenever I felt like it. So the chance came and I took it. I thought it would be a nice adventure and years later here I still am. How about you?"

"Born and raised here." Carter answered.

"Really, you are a rare breed." They both laughed because it seemed like no one was from LA anymore. LA was full of people who moved there in search of a better life. The little spot in the United States were the American Dream was always on everyone's mind. The new American dream of being reach and famous.

"Where are you originally from?"

"Chicago. And yes I still miss it sometimes. Not so much the cold, but the fact that it was where I lived most of my life. Hard to explain but my roots are there."

"Would you go back there?"

"Maybe. But I don't think I could survive the winter there anymore." She smiled, "What about you ever think about moving away?"

"Once. But this is where I've lived most of my life and it's where I'm comfortable at."

"And yet you like to travel?"

"It's nice to explore new places. New cultures, new people are always interesting."

"Exploring new people would be helpful in your line of work."

'You never know which role you'll have to take on." Carter said a faint smile reaching his face. He knew talking to her about the job was going against his own rules, but he couldn't help but open up to her sometimes. She had something about her that made it hard to shut her out. He was trying because he knew she deserved better, and if he was true with himself he was afraid he would get hurt again. He was sure of one thing, getting attached to someone again would end in pain that may just be the death of him. The little push he would need to go off the deep end.

"You really like your job?"

"Most days. I never have to do the same thing. Everyday is something new."

"And don't forget the tightrope walk with death."

"Not always a bonus."

Jade wanted to scream at that moment. The man had the tortured soul thing about him, that she always found way too attractive. It was like the bad boy archetype, except for her it was the tortured soul not the bad boy she loved. She could tell he had been hurt in his life, his eyes held most of the pain he tried to hide so well. God she hated the man sitting next to her because he was hot, and she wanted to get to know him, to be with him, and he held back. She was not the type to throw herself upon people. She had only one serious relationship in her entire life and it lasted 4 years before one day she left the person because she was bored. Boredom was her main issue, people were boring. The said and did the same thing, it was predictable. In sum, she could never stick with someone for very long, but Carter intrigued her and she knew there was a possibility that she would fall deeply in love with him.

"Your father was a cop too right?" Jade asked trying to focus on the conversation. At least she could get to know him.

"Yeah. Who told you that?"

"Melissa."

"So you asked about me?"

"Sort of." She saw a look on Carters face was it disappointment or fear? She couldn't tell. She continued to explain, "She said you were a great guy but that you were devoted to the job, at least according to Ty. "

Carter didn't look at her, he did not know what to say to her. Explain why the job became his life after his wife died. There was nothing to go home too, and he had drank himself to the bottom of too many bottles. The offer from Maynard saved him from liver failure and death, which would have happened. Not that he didn't still drink himself to sleep at times, or the pills he took were helpful, but he had a purpose now. The purpose of his life had been violently ripped from him. The love of his life gone, and he had nothing left. The job gave him something to hold onto.

Deciding to step over the landmine before him, opening up was a bad idea he decided to deflect, "What about your family?"

"Well my father died when I was a little girl and my mother never quite got over it."

"That must have been hard?"

"Not really. Looking back, I realize my father dying probably is what kept me from going down the path that most of my friends had gone down. I went to college to study and most of my friends went to prison to continue their studies."

"is that why you became a criminologist?"

"Honestly, I just sort of fell into it. I took an intro to crim course and it caught my interest. I get bored easily with subjects, and criminology is a melting pot of so many subjects it allows me to look into many different things so I never truly get bored."

"Do you have any other family members besides your mom?" Carter asked.

"I have an older brother. He works construction and a nephew. My brother is raising him alone. How about you?"

"Only child. And both of my parents are dead."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Carter said taking a drink of his beer, "it was a long time ago."

"So you have no family?"

"Not really. I have a cousin and his family. They try to get me to come to Thanksgiving every year, but I'd rather have my nails ripped out one by one."

Jade laughed, "I know the feeling. Have you ever seen the movie Home for the Holidays? The one Jodi Foster directed, that is so my family at times."

Carter smiled, he had caught bits of the movie at one time. His wife was a big fan of Robert Downey Jr and she would watch that movie every year around Thanksgiving.

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	13. Chapter 12 again

Don't own the characters.

A/N: Sorry about the wait.

**Thanks for the reviews and feedback it helps me figure out what to do next! **

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Melissa awoke the next morning she had heard Carter pacing throughout the night. Walking down the hallway she found him sitting outside on the patio. The same spot she and Ty had been sitting the first time since she had married Ty that Carter had taken him away from her.

"You are up early." She said walking outside after setting the coffee pot to make coffee.

"yeah. Sorry did I wake you up?"

"No is everything ok?"

"Yeah everything is fine." Carter lied again, things were far from fine, but they would get there soon enough. He had faith in Ty and Deans ability the two would be able to handle the change in plans.

"Do you know how much longer Ty is going to be gone?"

"A few more days at least." Carter said wondering if he should take Maynard's advice and promote Ty or move Ty out of the unit. It was hard to look a spouse of a subordinate in the eye and lie to them. It was not like lying to the bad guys. This was harder because there was always the chance that he would be the one to tell her that her loved one would not be coming home ever again. Those speeches were the hardest to give. How did you tell someone that the person they loved is gone? He had that speech once, it was a horrible speech delivered by an intern at the hospital. Someone who had yet to know what it was to lose someone, your soul mate. He never wanted to give anyone that speech. He had to before, and he swore he would never do it again. Maybe it was time for Ty to move on.

"How did your wife take it? How did she deal with you leaving?"

Carter frowned, he did not want to discuss his wife. It caused a pain in his chest that was not caused by any real physical wounds. "I was not working undercover much when she was alive. I did a few missions, but mostly she did not see me because I worked all night."

"How did she deal with that?"

"I don't know. I was a lucky man. She understood for the most part." Carter said the sadness in the memories clear in his voice and in his crystal blue eyes.

"What happened to her? I hope you don't mind me asking."

"I would rather not talk about it." Was all Carter said.

"Fair enough." Melissa couldn't help but remember the video of a different Carter and the woman she assumed was his wife. They looked happy together, in love, like her and Ty. What would she do if Ty died? She didn't think she could go on living without him.

"That was a nice party you had last night." Carter said changing the subject for his own sake.

"It was. I think my father liked you." Melissa said thinking that Jade really liked him.

"He's a good man." Carter said because it was what the situation dictated and he also meant it. Her father was a good guy from what Carter could tell.

"Jade wanted to go out to dinner tonight if you were up to it? She tries to get me to go out when Ty's gone to get my mind off things."

"It's a good idea. But I might have to take a rain check." Carter reminded himself mentally that he needed to stay away from the ambitious professor. There was only trouble he could bring her. She would be better without him, and for him well that was the price he paid for the life he lived.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. I'll leave some take out numbers for you, or I could bring something back." Melissa knew Jade would be disappointed, her friend seemed to genuinely be interested in Carter, which was rare for her friend. Typically, Jade did not connect with people. It was the bullshit that came with social contract that got in the way, and Jade was all business. She had a plan for her life and she was doing what she could do to achieve that plan. Anything else was background noise.

Carter was getting ready to talk again when his phone went off, "Excuse me." He said slowly standing up answering the phone, "Carter."

"It's Jamie. They checked in and were able to talk. I filled Dean in on what is going on. He agrees with you. They both agreed it was best to stay under because there is something else going on."

"Good." Carter said looking through the sliding glass doors at Melissa who was watching him anxiously. He smiled at her trying to assuage her fears.

"Captain Maynard called to. He wanted an update. I told him what was happening. I also told him you had nothing to do with the case."

"Good keep him off my back."

"He asked about you, I think he might stop by Ty's to check in on you."

"How did he get Ty's address?"

"I gave it to him. He asked for it and he's the captain.."

"Damn it he shouldn't come over here." Carter said worried about Ty's cover. His unit was suppose to be deep undercover which meant no contact with police officials if it could be helped. "I need you to come pick me up." Carter said.

"Why?"

"I'll go into see him." Carter said.

"Ok. Are you sure?"

"yes. Be here in about twenty minutes."

"Sure." Jamie answered right before Carter hung up the phone.

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Dean became more curious about what was behind the door if the family was not the main target. The meth lab was in the warehouse, in the basement. They had seen it the day before when Rick was giving them a tour. The basement was properly ventilated so all of the fumes left the building and did not travel upwards. So what could be behind the door?

Ty was not as curious as Dean, but he was also too busy to be curious. He had been picked to train for a special mission. That was all he knew about it. Despite being busy he was able to think about Melissa and miss her, and he was worried about she and Carter were getting along. By now he was sure that Melissa had murdered Carter in his sleep.

Neither of them had much time to think about their own worries because they were busy helping keep the operation going. Each man proving himself each day with task ranging from driving people around to make drops, fixing guns, and helping in the shipping of products.

Dean saw his moment, he walked up to the door when no one was around and he was about to reach out and grab the door handle to open it when someone called to him, "Hey what are you doing?"

"nothing. Just curious what's behind the door."

"Nothin man don't worry about it. If Sanchez or anyone sees you around here they'll kill you for sure." Rick said smiling at Dean. "come on we are going on a beer run."

"Sure." Dean said leaving the door behind.

On the drive to the market Dean continued his line of questioning, "So what else do you all do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well there's the guns, the meth, and protection. What else?"

"That's about it. You ask a lot of questions."

"I'm a curious guy. I like to know what I'm getting into before it happens."

"Don't worry about it man." Rick said playing with the radio station. "Oh by the way tomorrow you are driving Sanchez around. He was impressed with how you dealt with the situation the other day with the pick up."

"I was just doing my job." Dean answered.

"Yeah most people who have shit themselves if three guys pulled guns on them and they were unarmed."

"You were there, you had a gun."

"Yeah but I can't shoot all three at once."

"no, but you could take out one of them while I took out the other two. You don't always need a gun." Dean smiled remembering the look on the two gun men's face when he took them down to the ground in two swift motions that left neither of them time to fire their gun. They gunmen were not willing to make payment on product that they had gotten on loan from the Patriots. Bad mistake because it ended in them paying more then what they would have had to pay if they had just given the money up to begin with. It also left one of the men severely injured, and possibly dead.

Ty was also making strides in the investigation. He was training with some of the guys. They had a set up like swat teams do, houses where they practice in. Ty was not sure what they had him training for, but something was going to go down soon. He was sure whatever went down was going to be big, big enough to keep him from worrying about going home just yet. And if he was honest part of him liked what he was doing. The excitement of the job always sucked him in. It took time, but eventually he realized how much he liked his job.

"Run it one more time. I want to have the place locked down in ten minutes tops." The leader of the team said from behind his mask.

Everyday was the same, the continued to run the simulation, no one sure when or where the mission would happen. Each man had his part, Ty was apart of the group that would secure the location, while the other group went in search of a target. What the target was, no one but that team knew. Person or thing, Ty was sure that nothing would stop the Patriots from getting what they wanted.

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After Carter got off the phone with Jamie he called Maynard. "What in the hell are you doing?" Carter snapped with the Captain answered the phone, forgetting respect for the moment.

"What do you mean?" Maynard answered noting the clear disrespect and anger in Carters voice. Something rarely pointed at Maynard.

"Working with my team, calling about where they live! They are undercover operatives. If anyone hears what you are talking about, or is following you, their blown! They wouldn't be able to work again."

"Relax Carter." Maynard said his voice holding a note of warning, he would not stand for this, "I'm not stupid I've been using a drop phone the entire time. No way to trace it back to me, and I have been careful about who sees me coming or going when I talk to Jamie or anyone. I also make sure they are covered when they come in."

"No more meetings. If you need something you can go through me. Like we always do."

"Carter you are on medical leave." Maynard reminded him, "You are not suppose to be working. You are suppose to be relaxing and letting yourself heal."

"I've done enough of that. I'll be at your office in an hour." Carter hung the phone up not giving Maynard and chance to argue with him.

It was another thirty minutes before Jamie showed up at Ty's front door. During that time it took Carter the entire thirty minutes to get dressed and put his shoes on. He found himself hissing in pain a few times, but ignoring the signs that he was not ready to go back to work, he opened the door when Jamie knocked.

"you're late."

"You look better." Jamie said ignoring Carters statement. She also noted the paleness of Carters face despite him looking a lot better than last she saw him. S he could tell by his eyes, the way the lines formed around them, and his pale color, that he was in pain.

"Thank you. Let's go."

"Yes boss." Jamie said leading the way to her car.

Carter was happy that she brought her car, even though it would hurt to lower himself into the seat, it would not be as bad as lifting himself into an SUV.

When they reached the station, Carter and Jamie both went up to see Maynard. Jamie wanted to make sure Carter got there, and that way she also could fill in both men with what she knew so far. Reaching his office they were let in right away to minimize their exposure.

"Coffee or water?" Maynard asked both of him.

By the time they reached the office Carter was tired, but he hid it, and he also hid his pain. He looked like he was almost in perfect health he was that good at acting like nothing was wrong.

"Water." Carter said.

"Nothing for me."

Maynard got a bottle of water for Carter and handed it to him. "So what is happening with the case?"

Jamie filled Maynard in on what she knew, both Dean and Ty were undercover attempting to strengthen their covers by gaining trust from people in the organization. The family was not kidnapped. Not the in the sense that they had originally believed. Chances were they were not in danger at all, and this all had been some rouse by the Patriots and the informant. The reason why they were not sure of yet. They were almost positive the phone call made was by the informant and that they Patriots would at some point grab him too. Since negotiations were continuing on the Patriots had no way of knowing that the police had figured out it was all a rouse. But it helped that no one outside of the unit knew about the rouse, other than Maynard. They all agreed to keep it that way until they figured out what the Patriots were up to.

"Sounds good to me. No reason you had to come Carter." Maynard said trying to make a point, "I want you to rest."

"I did." Carter said.

"Jamie will you excuse us." Maynard said .

"Sure I'll go wait out in the car."

"Thank you." Maynard answered. Once she was gone Maynard continued to talk to Carter, "I gave you this unit and the only promise I had you make was that you would not lose your mind in it. You lost everything else to the job it seems. You need to take time off and recover. They unit will still be there."

"I can't not when I have men out in the field."

"Everything is going fine."

"It may not stay that way. I need to be there. Once this is over I will take time off. Hell I'll even go on a vacation if it'll make you happy."

"A real vacation."

"Yes." Carter said, he had been interested in traveling to Africa for awhile, and since he knew he would need more time then he could physically stand, away from the job, the best option was to travel somewhere to take his mind away from the job.

"ok. It'll be two weeks at least!"

"And there will be no undercover operations during that time." Carter said, "The team will take vacation too."

"Fair enough." Maynard said happy they agreed, but he still wished he could convince Carter to not work now. But he knew that was hopeless, not while his people were in danger.

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Melissa returned home, Jade following her because they were going to have a movie night. It was Jades way of being there for Melissa, who she knew was worried sick about Ty and anxious about what to do with Carter. When they walked into the house they could tell it was empty. No sound came from any of the rooms.

"I wonder where Carter went." Melissa said setting her purse and coat on a chair. "What movie do you want to start with?"

"Whatever doesn't matter. I'm going to go make some popcorn."

They two ladies settled down on the couch and were watching Runaway Bride when Carter walked into the house. It was more of a limp then a walk. Jamie was behind him, she had eventually convinced him to go back to Ty's place to get some rest. He had worked nonstop since they reached the safe house. It was hours before he came up for air, forgetting to take his pain killers, he was in a lot of pain when he finally resurfaced.

"Where have you been?" Melissa asked sounding like a worried wife.

If Carter weren't in pain he would have laughed. "At work."

"Aren't you suppose to be resting?"

"I was."

"Oh that's why you look like death warmed over. Come sit down before you collapse." Melissa said getting up, "I'll go get your pills and something to take them with."

Jamie was getting ready to make her exit when Melissa turned to her, "You should have stopped him. You knew he was in no shape to be out."

"Have you ever tried stopping him from doing something?" Jamie said, "And besides he's a grown man."

Melissa realized what she was acting like and smiled sheepishly, "That he is. But men can be stupid sometimes. Thanks Jamie."

"See you all later." Jamie made her exit quickly.

"I sometimes wonder how Ty lives with her." Jade said, "She can take on a mother hen complex."

Carter just smiled at her resting his head back against the chair.

Melissa returned with a pill bottle she collected from the guest room Carter had been staying in, and she also had a bottle of water in her hand. "here."

"Thank you."

Melissa sat back down on the couch with Jade and they continued the movie. Both women would occasionally glance over at Carter, who eventually fell asleep in the chair, softly snoring. The trip and working had taken a lot out of him. He still was not recovered enough to be doing what he had done. He pushed his body too far, and it let him know.

He awoke as the credits began to roll and both women were sipping beer talking about various things.

"Look who's awake." Melissa said smiling. "Feel better?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"I'm going to go get some work done. Jade is going to stay tonight. She's had a bit too much to drink. So you two make yourself at home."

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He was not sure how he ended up sitting on Ty's patio with Jade, the woman who he could quite possibly date if he were dating material. They both had a beer in their hand and were reclining in chairs. At first, there was a comfortable silence between them, but eventually Carter broke the silence. His curiosity getting the best of him.

"Are you original from LA?"

"No. I moved out here after I got my Phd."

"So work brought you out here?"

"Sort of. I had my option of going anywhere to teach. But I always wanted to live near the ocean. I wanted to be able to get in my car and drive to it whenever I felt like it. So the chance came and I took it. I thought it would be a nice adventure and years later here I still am. How about you?"

"Born and raised here." Carter answered.

"Really, you are a rare breed." They both laughed because it seemed like no one was from LA anymore. LA was full of people who moved there in search of a better life. The little spot in the United States were the American Dream was always on everyone's mind. The new American dream of being reach and famous.

"Where are you originally from?"

"Chicago. And yes I still miss it sometimes. Not so much the cold, but the fact that it was where I lived most of my life. Hard to explain but my roots are there."

"Would you go back there?"

"Maybe. But I don't think I could survive the winter there anymore." She smiled, "What about you ever think about moving away?"

"Once. But this is where I've lived most of my life and it's where I'm comfortable at."

"And yet you like to travel?"

"It's nice to explore new places. New cultures, new people are always interesting."

"Exploring new people would be helpful in your line of work."

'You never know which role you'll have to take on." Carter said a faint smile reaching his face. He knew talking to her about the job was going against his own rules, but he couldn't help but open up to her sometimes. She had something about her that made it hard to shut her out. He was trying because he knew she deserved better, and if he was true with himself he was afraid he would get hurt again. He was sure of one thing, getting attached to someone again would end in pain that may just be the death of him. The little push he would need to go off the deep end.

"You really like your job?"

"Most days. I never have to do the same thing. Everyday is something new."

"And don't forget the tightrope walk with death."

"Not always a bonus."

Jade wanted to scream at that moment. The man had the tortured soul thing about him, that she always found way too attractive. It was like the bad boy archetype, except for her it was the tortured soul not the bad boy she loved. She could tell he had been hurt in his life, his eyes held most of the pain he tried to hide so well. God she hated the man sitting next to her because he was hot, and she wanted to get to know him, to be with him, and he held back. She was not the type to throw herself upon people. She had only one serious relationship in her entire life and it lasted 4 years before one day she left the person because she was bored. Boredom was her main issue, people were boring. The said and did the same thing, it was predictable. In sum, she could never stick with someone for very long, but Carter intrigued her and she knew there was a possibility that she would fall deeply in love with him.

"Your father was a cop too right?" Jade asked trying to focus on the conversation. At least she could get to know him.

"Yeah. Who told you that?"

"Melissa."

"So you asked about me?"

"Sort of." She saw a look on Carters face was it disappointment or fear? She couldn't tell. She continued to explain, "She said you were a great guy but that you were devoted to the job, at least according to Ty. "

Carter didn't look at her, he did not know what to say to her. Explain why the job became his life after his wife died. There was nothing to go home too, and he had drank himself to the bottom of too many bottles. The offer from Maynard saved him from liver failure and death, which would have happened. Not that he didn't still drink himself to sleep at times, or the pills he took were helpful, but he had a purpose now. The purpose of his life had been violently ripped from him. The love of his life gone, and he had nothing left. The job gave him something to hold onto.

Deciding to step over the landmine before him, opening up was a bad idea he decided to deflect, "What about your family?"

"Well my father died when I was a little girl and my mother never quite got over it."

"That must have been hard?"

"Not really. Looking back, I realize my father dying probably is what kept me from going down the path that most of my friends had gone down. I went to college to study and most of my friends went to prison to continue their studies."

"is that why you became a criminologist?"

"Honestly, I just sort of fell into it. I took an intro to crim course and it caught my interest. I get bored easily with subjects, and criminology is a melting pot of so many subjects it allows me to look into many different things so I never truly get bored."

"Do you have any other family members besides your mom?" Carter asked.

"I have an older brother. He works construction and a nephew. My brother is raising him alone. How about you?"

"Only child. And both of my parents are dead."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Carter said taking a drink of his beer, "it was a long time ago."

"So you have no family?"

"Not really. I have a cousin and his family. They try to get me to come to Thanksgiving every year, but I'd rather have my nails ripped out one by one."

Jade laughed, "I know the feeling. Have you ever seen the movie Home for the Holidays? The one Jodi Foster directed, that is so my family at times."

Carter smiled, he had caught bits of the movie at one time. His wife was a big fan of Robert Downey Jr and she would watch that movie every year around Thanksgiving.

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